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Y0U8G FOLKS' LIBRARY OF AMERICAN BISTORI 



STORY 



OF 



COLUMBUS. 



BY MARA l'pRATT, M.D„ 

Author of " American History Stories,'* — Etc. 

r NOV 12 1892 



EDUCATIONAL PUBLIHHlNG COMPANY, 
BOSTON. 

NEW YORK. CHICAGO. 



v'^-aA k 



Copyright 
By educational publishing company. 

1892. 



CONTENTS 



PAGE. 

Boyhood of Columbus ......... 5 

Plans of Columbus 14 

Antonio of Marchena ... . . . . . . . 21 

Columbus and Antonio 29 

Columbus at the Spanish Camp 35 

Columbus favored by Isabella . . ■ 43 

Getting the Fleet ready 55 

The Trouble Increases 60 

The Voyage G7 

Land ! I>and ! 79 

The Search for Gold . . . . . . . . . . 101 

The Island of Cu1)a IIG 

Alonzo Pinzon's Desertion ........ 123 

The Return Voyage 133 

The Second Voyage I54 

Treachery of the Spaniards 1G2 

Columbus in Ilayti again 169 

Columbus's Last Voyage 175 



Christopher Columbus, 



In the grand old sea-port of Genoa, lived the little 
lad whom to-day the whole world knows as Christopher 
Columbus. 

As a little boy, he was, I suspect, very like all 
little boys — he thought and thought ; he whistled and 
planned ; he fell into all the mishaps incident to a 
boy's life in Genoa as in America. 

Indeed, one rather humorous historian tells a 
story of him that runs something like this : '' One 
day when Columbus was six years old, his mother 
sent him out in the early morning on an errand. 
The morning grew to noon, the afternoon grew to 
evening — still the child had not returned. The whole 
household was in sorrow and excitement. ' My child, 



COLUMBUS. 




HOUSE IN GENOA IN WHICH 
COLUMBUS WAS BORN. 



my child ! my child is lost ! ' 
his mother wailed ; and even 
the father, stern always with 
his children, was not a little 
moved. 

But at dusk the child re- 
turned. " Been playing out on 
the wharves," was his answer 
when his mother, half beside 
herself with fright, flew to meet 
him. 

This is a very simple little 
story and not at all peculiar to 
Columbus, as any boy living in 
a sea-coast town can no doubt 
tell you ; still it will do no harm 
to know that as a very little boy 
he was exactly like all other 
very little boys — at play about 
the streets, getting into all sorts 




THE BOY COLUMBUS. 



g COLUMBUS. 

of dangers, meeting with endless adventures, and — as 
you see — forgetting to do his mother's errands. 

There is very little really known about the child- 
hood of Columbus ; very likely because he was so like 
all other children. Though had his people known 
what a hero he was by-and-by to become, how they 
would have stored up all his wise little sayings and 
wonderful adventures 1 

But, you see, they did not know ; so all we 
know of that part of his life is that as he grew a 
little older, he became a very thoughtful boy, show- 
in o- early a strong liking for the sea and for all that 
belonged to the sea. 

Year after year, as he saw the ships come in^ 
and heard the wonderful stories that the sailors told, 
there grew in him a longing to visit those far away 
lands, a thirst for adventure, a hope that he, too, might 
sometime find a ^^ new land." 

Christopher Co^imbus was not an ignorant boy. 
His father, although a simple workingman, a wool- 



COLUMBUS. 



comber, seems to have been intelligent ; a man who 
strove to keep alive in his children a love for education, 
and to give them all the opportunity within his power. 




A GENOESE WOOL-COMBEK. 



Columbus had a fair, common-school education, as 
we should call it, and had given no little time to draw- 
ing, designing, and to the study of astronomy and navi- 
gation. 

It was when Columbus was about twenty-five years 



10 



COLUMBUS. 



of age that he was sent out in command of a squadron 
to aid a certain king in his struggle to recover his king- 




IN \MIIcn CoirAiBTTS was; born (.From an old Ft int.) 



dom. There is httle known of this conflict, as far as 
Columbus is concerned, farther than that " the squadron 
of Columbus gained much renown for its valor." 



COLUMBUS. 



11 



In a letter to Ferdinand and Isabella, then king 
and queen of Spain, Columbus gave a brief account of 




[EacA Square is 100 milts. 



[Lad/ude attd Lottgitiide marked iti bortfev 1 



one of his adventures, when his vessel was sent to attack 
a galley in the harbor of Tunis. In some way report 



12 COLUMBUS. 

reached the ears of his crew that this galley was pro- 
tected by two other ships. " It would be fool-hardiness 
to attempt an attack upon a galley so armed," said they, 
''and we refuse to proceed." 

" Very well," answered Columbus after a reasonable 
amount of arguing with his crew," we will go back for 
re-inf or cements. " 

But this was far from his real intention. So quietly 
altering the direction of the compass, he spread full sail. 
Night came on. Quietly they sailed on ; but when 
morning dawned, behold they were in the harbor where 
the galley lay. History does not tell us what the result 
of this strategy proved to be ; so I suppose the lesson 
we are to learn from it is that Columbus was quick- 
witted, able in command, and equal to an emergency. 

These were days of peril and hardship for sailors 5 
pirates infested the seas, and every sailor had need of 
soldierly training as well as an understanding of nautical 
affairs. 

At one time Columbus was engaged in a most 



COLUMBUS. 13 

desperate sea-fight with one of these pirate vessels. The 
two vessels were lashed together with iron grappling- 
hooks, and both were wrapped in flames. Not until the 
last minute did Columbus leave his ship. Then, when 
all hope was lost, he leaped into the raging sea, and 
buoyed up by an oar, made his way safely to the shore 
— six miles away. 

At such a time as this, Columbus received his sailor- 
training ; and this it was, that, in the years to come, 
fitted him for the hardships of his adventurous discover- 
ies and explorations. 



******* 
I know not when this hope enthralled me first, 
But from my boyhood up I loved to hear 
The tall pine forests of the Appennine 
Murmur tlieir hoary legends of the sea. 



* * 

— From LoiveU's " Columbus.* 



14 COLUMBUS. 

PLANS OF COLUMBUS. 

Columbus was thoughtful. He had sailed far to 
the north, and had there heard vague rumors of a land 
far away, which had been visited by the sturdy North- 
men. Then, too, his habits of study had led him to 
doubt the theories of that time regarding the shape of 
the earth and the movements of the planets. 

In a letter to a friend, he once wrote, " For forty 
years I have been studying, trying to seek out the secrets 
of nature." And so it came about that it was to him 
that the revelation of the true shape of the earth and of 
the " new continent " was given. 

In his wanderings from sea to sea, and from port to 
port, he had often met mariners — intelligent, observing 
men — who had, as he had done, explored all seas and 
visited all lands then known to the world. From those 
who had sailed farthest west, he heard of driftwood that 
had been found on the waters, different from any known 
growth. 



COLUMBUS. 15 

One sailor told Columbus of two dead men that had 
been washed ashore far out upon the Azores, and who 
were very different from any races of Europe or Africa. 

These, and other stories of these westward voyages, 
began gradually to awaken in Columbus a belief that 
somewhere, far away towards the setting sun, there must 
be other lands, and perhaps other people. 

Columbus was quiet, thoughtful, free from selfish- 
ness, given rather to doubting his own power than to 
pushing himself forward. 

Night after night, when this idea was at last clear 
to him, he would sit poring over the maps of those 
days, and studying the reports of sailors from every 
port. What was there beyond the Azores? Was the 
earth a globe, and was there, perchance, another country 
far, far away on the other side ? Would it be possible 
to sail around this globe — could that land be found ? 

Then he put to work his knowledge of astronomy, 
estimated from the sun's speed on its journey across the 
heavens what must be the size of this earth, if indeed 



16 COLUMBUS. 

it should be proved that its shape was that of a sphere. 
All this study and discovery, all these estimations with 
their seeming proofs, which our self-taught philosopher 
was able to bring before his hearers, began to attract the 
attention of thoughtful men. 

Of course, there were many ignorant, unthinking 
people, who jeered at Columbus and called him a fool. 
Such men as he, to whom any revelation has been 
granted, are apt to be called fools by the common 
people ; and human nature was just as ignorant, and 
just as jealous and skeptical then as it is now. But 
Columbus had grasped a truth ; and all the ignorance 
in the world could not take it from him. 

Now, Columbus was a poor sea-captain, without 
money and without influential friends. Still, spurred on 
by his own absolute confidence in his schemes, he went 
to the King of Portugal, laid his plans before him, and 
asked for money and a fleet with which to set forth 
upon a voyage of discovery. 

The king listened to his plans as he would have 



COLUMBUS. 17 

listened to those of an insane man, . with wonder and 
amusement. When Columbus had finished, the king 
bowed him politely from the audience-room, with a 
smile half of scorn, half of pity, saying to himself, 
" He is a half-crazed creature. Quite probably the hot 
sun of the tropics has turned his head." 

But there was something in the courteous, dignified 
bearing of Columbus that had impressed the king more 
than he would have been willing to acknowledge. The 
plans that Columbus had presented would not be shut 
out from his thoughts. " If they are true," said he to 
himself, ^' what a glory it would be to me, as King of 
Portugal, to aid him in this scheme ! " 

Day after day, the king turned over and over in his 
mind the possibilities Columbus had presented to him. 
At last, calling to him a certain , well-known Portuguese 
sea-captain, he told him of Columbus, aided him in 
gaining all the additional knowledge possible, and then, 
with what the king had already learned from Columbus, 
he gave the captain instructions to push on in the track 



18 COLUMBUS. 

which Columbus had marked out, and reach, if possible, 
the new land ; or, if there were no new land, to sail on 
and on to the Asiatic coast. 

A fleet was fitted out, and the captain sailed away 
— sailed away to steal Columbus' glory from him. 
You will be glad to hear that the captain lost his way, 
that a terrible tempest arose, and the sailors set up such 
a clamor that the captain was compelled to return to 
port and report to the king that his treacherous scheme 
has failed entirely. 

When Columbus was informed of this meanness of 
Portugal's king, he was bitterly disappointed that the 
royal court, on whom he had been taught to look with 
reverence, could stoop to so contemptible an act. 

" I will go to the Genoese government," said he, 
" perhaps there may be help there." 

" Who is this Christopher Columbus," said the 
Genoese Court, " that he comes to us ? " 

" He is one of our Genoese sailors," was the answer. 
" The son of Dominico Columbus, the wool-comber." 



COLUMBUS. 19 

" The son of a wool-comber ! " cried the Court, 
shocked that one from so common a family should dare 
urge a claim at the grand Genoese Court. 

Columbus was now in deep poverty. He had 
hardly money enough to keep himself and his little son 
Diego from starvation. 

" We must go," said he, taking the little fellow up 
in his arms, " to the King of France. Do you think, 
my little man, you can travel with me to Spain, to the 
village Avhere our uncle lives ? And can you live there 
in thine uncle's house, while I, thy father, travel on into 
the country of France ? " 

What Diego's reply was we do not know. But, as 
he was a brave little fellow, and had great faith in his 
quiet, gentlemanly father, we have no doubt it was a 
brave answer; and who knows but it may have 
encouraged the disappointed man more than he knew ? 

At any rate, Columbus and Diego set forth to seek 
the king and queen. They sailed from Genoa to Palos, 
and then began their long journey to the royal camp. 



COLUMBUS. 21 

ANTONIO OF MARCHENA. 

It was a long, long journey. The way was rough 
and dusty, and more than once both father and son sank 
by the roadside, tired and hungry. 

"Only one town farther on," said Columbus one 
day at noon-time. " And see, there to our right stands 
a stone convent. We will stop there and rest." 

Diego was hungry, and so thirsty. His tired little 
legs were growing rather heavy, and but for the brave 
little heart, determined to share his father's hardships, 
the tears, I fear, would have gone rolling down his 
cheeks. 

Knocking at the great gateway of the convent. 
La Rabidi, Columbus asked for a cup of water and a 
slice of bread for his child. It chanced that the prior 
was just then coming to the gate ; and when he noted 
the courteous manners, the dignified carriage, and the 
intellectual face of the stranger, he knew that it was no 
ordinary beggar who asked for help. 



"'1 
m 




COLUMBUS. 23 

"Come in, good friend," said he, "and rest. The 
Httle one looks tired and hungry." 

Columbus gladly entered ; and, as we might well 
suppose, knowing how full Columbus' heart was of his 
plans, it was not long before the two men were in earnest 
conversation. 

" You are not a Spaniard, Seiior ?" said the monk 
respectfully. 

" No, father," answered Columbus, " I am a Genoese. 
My name is Christofore Columbo ; or, as in your 
language you would say, Cristoval Colon." 

" Cristoval Colon ! " exclaimed the monk. " Often, 
then, have I heard of you. The sailors of our coast 
speak often of you. The stories of your brave voyages 
are well known by us here. And I have heard your 
name mentioned at Court as well." 

" Your courtesy exaggerates my fame," answered 
Columbus modestly. 

" And you are to make a long journey ? " asked the 
monk, now interested indeed in his guest. 



24 COLUMBUS. 

" Yes," answered Columbus, hesitating, yet longing 
to speak with the generous monk of this hope so in his 
thought and in his heart. " But we are near its end. 
We go only to the next town, where dwells a friend a 
relative of mine, Pedro Muliar." 

" Pedro Muliar ! " exclaimed the monk. " Indeed, I 
know him well. But I fear you will not find him. If 
I mistake not, he has but lately started upon a voyage." 
Columbus looked troubled. " Diego, child, what 
shall I do with thee if our friend is gone? It is far too 
long a journey for thee to accompany me to France." 

"But I can go!" cried the little fellow. "Take 
me as thy page. Surely I can serve thee on the 
journey." 

" Not that, my son," said Columbus sadly. " But 
my wallet — alas ! — it holds but scanty money for the 
journey. I fear I should hardly reach the sovereign of 
France if two of us depended upon it." 

" Do not leave Spain," said the monk. " Never 
had Spain greater need of noble, daring men than now. 



COLUMBUS. 25 

Our good sovereigns, Isabella and Ferdinand, can ill 
afford to have such men as you go forth from our 
country." 

Columbus looked earnestly into the monk's face. 
Then with a slow, dignified manner he spoke : 

" The sovereigns of Spain," said he, " have no more 
loyal or more faithful subject in all their kingdom than 
I. To the generous Queen Isabella am I indebted for 
great favors and courteous treatment. But it is now 
six long years that I have pleaded at our sovereigns' 
court for nothing less than this : That they give me 
permission and authority to put into their hands the 
wealth of Asia and bring under their dominion those 
lands now strangers to civilization and Christianity. 
Yet their Highnesses will hear me not. The cares 
and anxiety of the war with the Moors ; the plot- 
tings of the government of Portugal — these things, 
so they tell me, take all their time, their money, 
their attention. My suit has been year after year 
rejected. 



26 COLUMBUS. 

'' Now the camps are pitched before Granada and I 
have no farther hope. It is for this reason that I go 
now to the king of France to plead my cause — the 
world's cause ; for I have heard, and with good 
authority, that the French king will gladly give me 
audience." 

" I have heard of these things," said the monk 
gravely ; " but I had supposed your suit before the king 
and queen had prospered. For many years I have been 
her Highness's confessor." 

" Antonio of Marchena ! " exclaimed Columbus. 
" I am then doubly fortunate in coming here. Often 
have I heard your name in court ; often have I been 
told to come to you for help and influence ; but year, by 
year more friends and influential ones were added to me, 
year by year my plans became better understood, and I 
felt sure of their acceptance before the king and queen. 

" But now, good Father, I am growing old. Not 
many years are left to me ; and it is God's will that I 
find this far-off land and open up the way to it to the 



COLUMBUS. 27 

people that the true religion of our God be carried to 
them. If I wait longer in Spain, it may be too late. 

It is right, I feel, that I hasten to another land and 
seek for help in carrying out this great work that has 
been given me, and me alone to do." 

The monk was moved by the earnest words of his 
guest. 

" Fourteen years," continued Columbus, " did I 
spend at the Court of Portugal. My charts and plans 
were taken from me. ' We will study them,' said they. 
But they stole them from me ; and with the knowledge 
gained from them, they sent out an expedition to steal 
from me the honor and gain of the great discoveries I 
know await me. But their treachery was punished ; 
their vessels were driven back by storm — wrecked — into 
the harbor from which they had set forth. Then came 
I to Spain. And, as I have told you, six more years have 
passed away. And in all this time not a dozen men have 
I found who could believe or understand me, much less 
give me substantial aid to go forth upon the sea." 



28 



COLUMBUS. 



" But you will tarry with me until the morning," 
said the monk. " The boy Diego needs rest ; and I 
myself would be honored if, when evening comes, you 
would tell me of your plans. It may be, even now, 
that I can aid you." 




COLUMBUS. 



29 



COLUMBUS AND ANTONIO. 

Now, in those clays, knowledge was confined to a 
few people, who had given up their lives to study, and 
had gone away from the world into convents, where 
they might have the use of books, and might be 
taught by the few teachers of the day. 




THE PRIOR. 



The prior was one of these educated, thinking 
men ; and so, as Columbus unfolded his plans to 



30 COLUMBUS. 

him, setting forth his scientific reasons for the hope 
he had, the monk was able to follow him intelligently. 
Indeed, so convinced was he that Columbus was 
right, that he promised to use whatever influence he 
had in the church as a monk, and in the court as a 
man of learning, to aid Columbus in carrying out his 
project. 

Night after night, the lamp from Antonio's little 
window shone far into the late hours — or perhaps, Ave 
might say, into the early hours of the morning. Then 
the two men, and often with them other thoughtful 
men, friends of Antonio, would sit poring over charts 
and maps, Columbus always eagerly explaining to them 
his plans, setting forth his themes, and infusing them 
one and all with his own hopes of success and glory. 

" This chart I made while I was in Genoa," 
Columbus would say ; ^' this one I drew up before 
Queen Isabella ; this one was sent me by a learned 
friend while at the Court of Portuofal. 

" On this chart of my friend's he has drawn the 



COLUMBUS. 31 

world as it was known to the ancients. I trust you will 
excuse my presumption, for changing the work o£ so 
learned a man ; but from my studies and experiments, 
I have become convinced that the farthest eastern coast 
of Asia reaches far nearer to our own country than we 
yet dream of. 

" Here, some three thousand miles out west from 
Portugal, you will see I have roughly drawn a large 
island, which we will call Cipango. I place this here to 
mark the unknown land we shall reach by sailing west." 

Such a strange map as this was ! About half-way 
between the European coast and this " maybe " island 
was another spot marked the " Island of Seven Cities ; " 
the space which is now known to be occupied by North 
America, was filled in with many little islands all 
clustered together ; Java and Celebes were just upon 
the site of what we now know to be South America ; the 
continent of Asia extended away across the Pacific ; 
and as to Africa — that for most part was marked " the 
unknown sea." 



32 COLUMBUS. 

How these thoughtful men studied the maps ! How 
they listened to Columbus' explanations of the shape 
and movements of the sun and the planets and the 
probable shape and movements of the earth ! 

" If these distances upon your maps are correct/' 
the monk would say, " there can be no doubt that tlie 
shortest route to the Indies, the Golden Indies, would 
be, as you say, straight out across the waters to the 
west. Still, I have heard it said, and by men who have 
thought deeply, that far away towards the west, this 
ocean slopes down and down, and that no ship having 
reached the level limits may ever hope to return." 

" And do you not fear," said another, "that zone of 
calms, which is said to lie far out to the west, where 
ships might lie, as if at anchor, for centuries and 
centuries ? " 

" My friends," Columbus would say gravely, " if 
once I am satisfied that there is land beyond, all else 
seems of little account. There can be no navigating in 
unknown seas without some, peril. As to the zone of 



COLUMBUS. 33 

calms — there may be such far to the south, where the 
heat is intense. When I myself sailed to the south, to 
the coast of Guinea, we found the air grow lighter 
and lighter ; but if I mistake not, this land I seek lies 
directly to the west. 

" For thirty years have I followed the sea ; where- 
ever ship has ever sailed, I have been. Much traveling 
on the sea makes, you know, a man thoughtful — it 
makes him ponder upon the wonders of the sky, the 
secrets of the ocean. I have sailed north, and I have 
sailed south — to the farthest known limits in either 
direction ; sailors from all countries have I seen and con- 
versed with ; and never have I found a sailor, who did 
show me even one good reason for thinking there may 
not be lands straight to the westward, far out across the 
ocean whose waters we see as far as eye can reach. 

" Indeed, some have told me of strange things seen 
far to the westward, when driven out of their course by 
storm, they have found themselves far beyond their 
known reckonings. One sailor even told me of being 



34 COLUMBUS. 

driven so far out from Ireland, that he saw a western 
land, stretching as far as eye could measure north and 
south. And have we not in the writings of the ancients 
frequent reference to a western land, which they speak 
of as the land of Atlantis? And who of us can know 
but this Atlantis may have been the far eastern coast 
of Asia, which as yet, no European hath reached across 
the ocean ? *' 

And so, day after day, Columbus and the prior 
pored over the convent books and maps, discussing 
whether the earth was a globe or merely a flat expanse ; 
whether by sailing around it Asia would be reached ; or 
whether somewhere, far out at sea, might there be a 
great unknown continent as large, perhaps, as the one 
already known. 



COLUMBUS. 35 

COLUMBUS GOES TO FERDINAND AND ISABELLA AT 
THE SPANISH CAMP. 

" Leave the little Diego here," said the prior, " and 
with letters of introduction, which I will gladly give you, 
make your way to the camp at Cordova, where you will 
find Ferdinand and Isabella. I can not but think they 
will see the grandeur of your scheme, and will 
help you." 

Rested, and better still, cheered by this good man's 
helpful words, Columbus set forth. It was a marvelous 
military display that Columbus entered upon at Cordova. 

All the chivalry of Spain, gleaming and glittering 
in rich armor, was there ; the horses resplendent in 
their gorgeous mountings, the bright banners, the 
waving plumes, the grand, martial music — all these 
made the scene one of rare beauty. 

But Columbus hardly saw all this, felt no inspira- 
tion to join this mighty throng, no pride that Spain was 
so grand and powerful. He had a larger motive than 



COLUMBUS. 37 

that of going forth to kill his fellowmen. This 
inspiration had come from truth, and he had a work to 
do that should benefit the world. 

Isabella's chaplain, to whom the prior had written 
a letter introducing and recommending Columbus, 
received Columbus with a coldness that might well have 
chilled the ardor in a man with a less important cause 
to present than Columbus had. 

" Even a slight degree of intelligence and sense of 
time and fitness of opportunity," said he, " might teach 
you that it would be but an intrusion to present any 
plan, however great and probable, to say nothing of this 
absurd scheme of yours, to our sovereigns, oppressed as 
they are now with the cares of war." 

But as has always been the case when the cause 
was great enough to swallow up self, Columbus 
persevered, regardless of the chaplain's scorn and refusal 
to acquaint the king and queen of his desires. 

He hngered about the camp, earning what little he 
could from day to day, by designing charts and maps. 



38 COLUMBUS. 

telling his plans to any one intelligent enough to listen, 
hoping, yes, determined that in some way, sooner or 
later, he would gain an audience with the queen. 

Of course, like every man or woman, then and now, 
who catches the glimmer of a light before it reaches the 
dull eyes of the world, Columbus was jeered at and 
called a fool, an adventurer, a lunatic — a crank, as we 
say to-day. But now and then he found a listener who 
could understand him, and who helped him with 
sympathy and understanding, though they had no 
money and no ships for him. 

At last, report of Columbus' plan reached the ears 
of the grand Cardinal of Spain. This man had so 
much influence with the king and queen that he was 
often called the third king. 

He sought Columbus out that he might for himself 
hear what the stranger had to tell. Columbus, full of 
faith in his theory, told his story with enthusiasm, and 
with simple eloquence. 

" This man is no fool," said the Cardinal. " He is 



COLUMBUS. 39 

a thinker ; he is educated ; and he is not, as I have been 
told, a half-crazed dreamer. His plans seem plausible ; 
he knows whereof he speaks. The king and queen 
should receive him. There is more in his theory than 
idle fools can see." 

It was, therefore, through the cardinal that 
Columbus did at last obtain a hearing with the Spanish 
sovereigns. Again did Columbus, with outspread maps 
and astronomical charts, repeat his story. Not one point 
or question but he could meet with reasonable reply. 

The king, a cool, philosophical man, listened 
critically, carefully questioning and weighing every 
point. His ambition was excited. " If this man's story 
is true," said he, " think what glory, what wealth, what 
power will be added to Spain through his possible 
explorations and discoveries ! " 

But Ferdinand was a cautious man. " I will call a 
council," said he, " of Spain's wisest men ; and they 
shall hear the story of this man Columbus, and they 
shall decide what shall be done." 



COLUMBUS. 41 

Columbus now rejoiced. The Cardinal and the 
king believed him. Certainly the council would believe 
him too. 

These " wisest men of Spain " met Columbus, who, 
more and more filled with enthusiasm with each recital, 
more certain than ever of the truth of his enterprise, 
repeated his story with the eloquence that is born of 
inspiration. It would seem to us to-day that a very 
child might understand. 

But alas for Columbus! these wisest men proved 
his bitterest foes. " The theory of this man," said 
they, " is absurd. Any one of common sense might 
know this earth is flat. Suppose, for an instant, it were 
round like a globe. Let us see what must follow. 
Why, if there were people on the under side, then they 
must be walking with their feet up and their heads 
down. The trees must be growing with their branches 
down and their roots up. When it rains it must rain 
upwards. Everything must be upside down, even if the 
people and the animals and the houses could stay upon 



42 COLUMBUS. 

the earth. But we know, moreover, that they would 
fall — down, down, down, we know not where. Our 
noble king is far too sensible to be imposed upon by 
this half-crazy wool-comber." 

To all these arguments, if such foolish words can 
be called arguments, Columbus answered clearly and 
simply. But it was lost upon these bigoted men. He 
was dismissed ; and the convention broke up, delighted, 
no doubt, with the brilliancy of their own logic. 



Wherever man 
Has sailed the world of waters, there have I. 
To the Spanish Archipelagos, the Azores ; 
To Africa, to Thule ; — and I have sought 
From sailors, Latins, Greeks, Jews, Moors, 
For proof of hindrances to the straight course ; — 
All these can give not one ! And year by year 
My hopj has grown and strengthened. Now T see 
God's finger pointing westward ! 



A. Chase, 



COLUMBUS. 43 

COLUMBUS FAVORED BY ISABELLA. 

It was a bitter disappointment to Columbus that he 
had been so unreservedly condemned in this convention 
of " wisest men." For a time hope seemed dead. 

The council, however, had unwittingly done him 
service, in that it had brought Columbus into public 
notice, and had set the whole country talking and think- 
ing about him. And in spite of the decision of the 
council, there sprang up here and there men who dared 
claim that the council had made a grave mistake. 

For more than a year Columbus remained about 
the Court, still urging his claim whenever he could find 
a listening ear. Again he was condemned by a council 
of " wise men." Wars arose, and Columbus was cast 
aside. " Intrude upon our sovereigns no further," said 
one of the Court, " until we are free from war, at 
least." 

There seemed, indeed, little prospect of aid from 
Spain. Seven long years now he had spent begging the 



44 



COLUMBUS. 



government to aid him in a project which was sure to 
bring Spain nothing but honor and glory. 




COLUMBUS TELLING HIS STORY TO THE MONK. 



" I will go again to the convent and see my boy 
Diego ; then 1 will appeal to the French Court/' said 
Columbus. 



COLUMBUS. 45 

Again, travel-worn and weary, his face now fur- 
rowed with care, his hair whitened, his body bent with 
fast approaching age, Columbus arrived at the convent 
gate. The good prior received him with hearty wel- 
come. 

Again they talked over the belief of possible 
lands across the sea ; and when Columbus proposed now 
turning to France for aid, the prior, more convinced 
than ever as the years rolled on, was aroused. " This 
glory must not pass out of Spain," said he. " Some- 
thing must be done. How can the philosophers and the 
churchmen be so short-sighted ? " 

Accordingly, he wrote a long letter to Isabella, 
urging her to consider well Columbus' claim, and to 
allow no prejudice to blind her to the truth that seemed 
so clear. Now, this prior was a great friend of Isa- 
bella, and was held in high esteem by her. 

Isabella, though weighed down with cares, gave 
heed to the prior's appeal. 

" Come to me," wrote she in reply. " I would hear 



46 



COLUMBUS. 



of this man and of his claims. I feel there is much of 
truth in them." 




THE PRIOR ON HIS WAT TO ISABELLA. 



You may be sure the good prior was not long in 
setting out upon his journey. Hiring a mule from a 



COLUMBUS. 47 

village neighbor, he rode forth from the convent at 
night-fall. " It is as well," said he, " that every one 
does not know of our movements ; therefore, I will go 
covered by the darkness ; and besides, the long wastes 
of hot, dry sand will be passed before the sun-rise ; and 
so will my journey be cooler and more comfortable." 

Accordingly the affairs of the convent were 
intrusted to the monk of the next lowest order. Col- 
umbus and his son were given into the care of the little 
band of brothers in the convent. 

With all possible haste the monk hurried across the 
country. Arriving at the royal quarters, he announced 
himself without loss of time. Summoned to her 
Majesty's presence, good Antonio was received with joy 
as an old and trusted friend and faithful counsellor. 

With eloquence he set forth his reason for wishing 
her to listen to the appeal of Columbus. He spoke to 
her of his dignity, his thoughtfulness, his extensive 
knowledge ; more than that, he appealed to her in the 
name of the Church to let not this opportunity pass 



48 COLUMBUS. 

by for spreading Christianity through this great un- 
known Asia. 

Now, Antonio, in all the years he had been the 
Queen's confessor, had come to know the characters of 
both Queen and King. He knew Isabella might be 
reached through her zeal for the spread of the religion 
of her country ; but that Ferdinand, his eye always 
open to the chance of gain of wealth, would be far more 
likely to respond to the arguments of possible riches and 
glory to come to him, and the power to which Spain 
would be raised among the nations of Europe should it 
come about that those great new lands should be added 
to its dominions. 

Indeed, so wisely and so well did he carry himself 
that both King and Queen commanded that Columbus 
be at once brouofht to them. Antonio sent a letter 
to Columbus, bidding him come at once, and en- 
closing from the Queen money with which to defray the 
expenses of the journey from the convent to the royal 
Court. 



COLUMBUS. 49 

And now Columbns forgot the long, long years 
of waiting ; the discouragements ; the disappointments 
Surely at last his success was upon him. With all the 
eagerness of a child, Columbus prepared for his journey, 
and in a few hours he was far out upon the same, bound 
for the Court — once more to be received into the 
presence of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of 
Castile. 

Now, Ferdinand was King of Aragon only ; and 
Isabella was Queen of Castile in her own right. She 
had, therefore, her own revenue, her own army, and 
her own court ; and was able to move in this matter, as 
in any other, freely and independently of Ferdinand. 

" I have never given this much thought," said she. 
" The Council met with Ferdinand the King, and, busy 
with other matters, I inquired little of this. But it in- 
terests me. It impresses me. You will send Columbus 
to me at once." 

Once more the star of hope seemed to have arisen. 
Presenting himself before the Queen, not as a beggar. 



mil 'Ul . 




COT>UMBTJS APPEAT^S TO TSARKT>T>A. 



COLUMBUS. 51 

but as one who offered her a golden opportunity, he 
said, " I ask only a few ships and a few sailors with 
which to travel westward over the now unknown ocean. 
I will thus find for your majesty a new and shorter route 
to India, and will open to you an unknown land, the 
wealth and power of which no man can estimate. In 
return, I ask only that I may be made Viceroy of what 
I may discover, and that I be granted one-tenth of the 
wealth that I may bring to Spain." 

" What audacity ! " cried the courtiers. " To make 
terms with the Queen ! A mere beggarly sea-captain ! 
A common wool-comber ! " 

Influenced by these courtiers, the queen summoned 
Columbus again to her, offering to aid him if he would 
make his own demands less extravagant. 

But Columbus would not yield, " I go not as a 
hireling," said he with pride. 

Isabella was annoyed. She was willing to assist 
him ; more than that, she desired to assist him ; but to 
be dictated to as to her terms, was something new to her 



52 COLUMBUS. 

queenship ; and Columbus was dismissed with a great 
show of freezing dignity. 

Now, indeed, Cohimbus' last hope of aid from Spain 
was dead. Sadly he remounted his mule and started 
upon his journey back to the convent. 

•^ I am not content to have dismissed this man 
Columbus," said she to Ferdinand. " The character 
of his mind, the grandeur of his schemes, his education, 
and his fine breeding, tell me he is no common adven- 
turer. And if his story should be true, and some other 
country should aid him, what disgrace would be reflected 
upon us, and what a loss would it be to our country." 

" But war has cost us so much," said Ferdinand. 

" Still, something tells me it should be done. Yes 
and it shall be done. I will pledge my jewels to raise 
the funds ! " cried Isabella, moved by a sudden impulse 
And, calling a servant, a courier was sent with all speed 
to overtake Columbus and bring him again to the 
queen. 

Now, these words of Isabella sound very heroic and 



COLUMBUS. 53 

self-sacrificing. They have made a pretty little speech 
to pass down in history by the admirers of this queen. 

But I am afraid we must admit that while they 
were genuine in their impulse, they were not so genuine 
in the spirit of sacrifice ; for when we read that in the 
recent war Isabella had filled her coffers to overflowing, 
by her almost perfidious conduct towards the Moors of 
Malaga, we must acknowledge that there w^as little 
call for her to sacrifice her jewels. Still let us respect 
her impulse, and remember that, if she had not moved 
perhaps no one else would have, and Columbus, already 
old and broken, might have died, and so the result of 
his thought have been lost. 

Columbus with bowed head and heavy heart, was 
toiling across the sands, only a few miles advanced on 
his journey. Deep in thought as he was, the clattering 
of the hoofs of the courier's horse did not reach him 
until he heard, " Columbus ! Columbus ! In the name 
of the Queen I command you to return to the Court ! " 

For a moment Columbus hesitated. So long had he 



54 COLUMBUS. 

waited, so often had he been repulsed, he had little now 
but distrust of both Spanish sovereigns. Assured by 
the courier, however, that the queen was really in 
earnest now, he turned back, half in hope, half in doubt. 
But when Isabella came to a decision she was quick 
to act. She at once summoned Columbus to her 
presence, and told him that she readily assented to all 
his dem.ands, and that a fleet should at once be fitted 
out. 



Darkness will flee away 

Only endure ; 

Sunlight will come again 

Fadeless and pure. 

List to the sea-waves' song 

Laving the shore, 

Weary one, waiting one, 

Hope evermore. 

Storm-beat and tempest-tossed 

Succor is near ; 

Thoul't win the goal at last, 

O never fear ! 

List to the sea- waves' song. 

Laving the shore, — 

Weary one, striving one, 

Hope evermore ! " 



COLUMBUS. 55 

GETTING THE FLEET READY. 

Again Columbus, the monk, and their friends are 
together in the monk's little cell in the convent, poring 
as before, over papers spread out upon the table ; but 
such different papers ! 

The little dingy maps are pushed aside ; and in 
their stead lay the great parchments of the king and 
queen, with the royal seals shining out, fresh and new, 
upon them. 

" The contents of these royal papers," said the 
monk, " should be published in the village at once. 

"And would it not be the best and surest way," 
continued he, " to have the curate at the village church 
give notice that all shall gather to hear read certain 
summonses from their Majesties the king and queen." 

" I fear there will be trouble among these wooden- 
headed villagers," said one of the company, shaking his 
head ruefully. 

" I fear nothing," answered Columbus, hopefully, 



56 COLUMBUS. 

'' since at last the king and queen have authorized the 
undertaking. Though there be delay even, it can be 
but for a time. I would be glad, though, if the crew 
might be a willing one. An unwilling crew is hard to 
handle when once they lose sight of land." 

Accordingly notice was given to the village notary; 
and on the appointed day, the little church was crowded 
with the village folk, and with sailors and fishermen all 
eager, some anxious, to hear what the royal summons 
might be. Among them were the Pinzons, the 
wealthiest and most influential family in the village — a 
family, of which, by-and-by, we are to hear no little in 
this story of Columbus. 

Columbus and Antonio entered the church. The 
service was devoutly intoned by priest and people. And 
now, the religious services being over, the curate 
announced that the notary would read the commands 
from their Majesties to the loyal subjects of Palos. 

A stillness like death fell upon the people. 
Columbus stepped forward. From his velvet doublet he 



COLUMBUS. 57 

drew forth the royal parchment and, bowing reverently 
over the royal signatures as he unrolled it, he passed it 
to the notary. 

The notary, as was the custom, called together all 
the village authorities to witness, there upon the parch- 
ment, as proof of the truth of what he should read, the 
royal signatures, pressed in colored wax. In a high 
voice, the people staring, breathless, he read as follows: 

'^ DON Ferdinand and Dona Isabella, by the Grace of Gocl 
King and Queen of Castile, of Leo i, of Aragon, of SiciW, of 
Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Galicia, of the Balearic 
Isles, of Seville, of Sardinia, of Cordova, of Corsica, of Murcia, 
of Jaen, of the Algarves, of Algecira, of Gibraltar, and of the 
Canary Islands ; Counts of Barcelona ; Dukes of Athens and of 
Neopatria ; Counts of Kousillon and of Cerdania ; Marquises of 
Oristan and of Gociano ; 

" To you, Diego Rodriguez Prieto, and to all other persons, 
your friends and neighbors of the town of Palos, and to each one 
of you, health and happiness ! 

" Well do you know that for certain acts done and com- 
mitted by you all in disobedience of Our commands, you were 
condemned by Our Council to serve Us for twelve months with 
two vessels, armed at your own cost and expense, whenever and 



58 COLUMBUS. 

wherever you should be by Us commanded, upon certain 
penalties, as is set forth more at length in the before-mentioned 
sentence which was rendered against you. 

" And now," the notary continued, having taken time to 
breathe, "inasmuch as We have commanded Cristoval Colon that 
he should go with a fleet of three ships to certain parts of the 
Ocean Sea upon sundry affairs which relate to Our service, and 
We desire that he take with him the two vessels with which you 
are bound, in the said manner, to serve Us, We therefore order 
you that within the ten days first following the day on which you 
are summoned by this Letter, without making any petition to Us, 
or consulting with Us, or waiting for anything, or needing any 
further Letter from Us about the matter, you have equipped and 
put in order the said two armed vessels, as you are bound to do 
in virtue of the said sentence, ready to sail with the said 
Cristoval Colon wherever We may order him to go." 

Loud murmurs arose among the people. Protests 
were heard on every side. The men growled and 
cursed. The women, excited, scolded and threatened. 

" Silence ! " thundered the notary. " We are here 
to listen to their Highnesses' commands like loyal 
subjects. Let no man dare censure them. 

"And upon the completion of the said period," he resumed 



COLUMBUS. 59 

reading, "you shall depart with him and thenceforth sail with 
him wherever and whenever he, on Our part, shall say and direct. 
And We have ordered him to advance to you, for those of you 
who go upon the said cruise, four months' wages at the rates 
which are paid to the sailors from other ports who are also to go 
with him in your two ships and in the third ship which We order 
him to take ; which wages are to be the same as are paid along 
your coast to men who go to sea in armed vessels. And, having 
thus set out, you are to follow the course whicli he, on Our 
behalf, sliall lay down for you, and you are to obey his com- 
mands and follow his orders and directions. 

"And when you shall l)ring a certificate signed by the said 
Captain that he is satisfied with your service with the said two 
armed vessels. We shall consider you to be freed from the said 
penalty whicli by the sentence of Our Council was imposed upon 
you, and from now until that time and from that time until now 
We shall consider that We have been well and fully served b}^ you 
in the matter of the said vessels for the whole time and in tlie 
manner demanded of you by Our said Council." 

And now the hum of voices burst out again — but 
this time less indignantly. The sound of " wages in 
advance " had produced some change of sentiment, 
though very little, and with mutterings under breath, 
the people passed out from the church. 



60 COLUMBUS. 

THE TROUBLE INCREASES. 

Hardly twenty-four hours had passed by when it 
became clear enough that resistance, stubborn and un- 
yielding, would arise against the commands of the King 
and Queen. 

On every side were muttering and growling. Not 
only among the people did Columbus find trouble in 
carrying out his plans, but among the magistrates them- 
selves, did he meet with that stubborn inactivity and 
stolidity, that, while it cannot be seized upon and pun- 
ished as out-and-out rebellion, is no less exasperating 
and defying. 

The owners of vessels all claimed that their vessels 
were too old, or too much out of repair to go out upon 
the ocean ; the pilots, captains, sailors, each and all had 
ready excuses for not being themselves able to set forth ; 
and the magistrates, though not daring open rebellion, 
were accepting the most flimsy excuses, and granting 
releases from service from all who applied ; moreover, . 



COLUMBUS. 61 

they had permitted to sail out from the harbor all the 
largest and strongest vessels. 

Meantime Columbus was busy at work, watching 
the movements and learning all about the ships of Palos, 
and making the acquaintance of all the reliable captains 
and pilots in the village. Up and down the coast of 
Palos and the adjoining villages he went, trying to 
enlist the people in the undertaking. But it grew very 
evident that ten days would pass long before the royal 
decrees would be carried out. 

At last to the Pinzons he went. The three brothers, 
Martin Alonzo, Vicenfce Yanez, and Francisco Martin, 
were by far the most influential men in the village. To 
these men, intelligent as they were, Columbus made no 
secret of his intended voyage. He laid his plan before 
them, explained to them his hopes of success, and 
invited them to join him in his undertaking. 

The Pinzons were known far and wide to be bold 
and daring navigators, and more than that, very success- 
ful navigators, and were consequently popular among 



62 COLUMBUS 

those who had sailed with them, and among the people 
of the village. 

The ten days were up. Nothing was ready. More 
than once ship owners had flatly refused to let their 
ships go out on any such " fooFs quest " as that of this 
Genoese Columbus. 

Finding all efforts useless, Columbus dispatched a 
messenger to their Majesties, laying before them the 
exact condition of affairs in Palos. At the same time 
he took Martin Pinzon into his entire confidence, ex- 
plained to him fully his grounds for expecting to find 
Asia by sailing directly west, offered to give the brothers 
a share in the profits of the undertaking, besides their 
liberal salaries, and a commission on all pilots, captains 
and sailors that they should prevail upon to willingly 
accompany them. 

" If you can help me," Columbus said, " it will be 
well for us all. You will bring wealth and fame to the 
Pinzon family, and you will save me the use of force in 
fitting out my expedition." 



COLUMBUS. 63 

To Martin Pinzon especially, all this was very allur- 
ing. Like all intelligent and thoughtful sea-faring men 
at this time, he had listened with interest to the vague 
rumors of land across the ocean, and as he himself had 
sailed far out, he had often looked and wondered what 
might be away out there to the west where no ship had 
ever sailed. More than this, the prospect of riches, of 
silver and gold, of spices and pearls, appealed to his love 
of wealth and power. 

For some days the Pinzons talked the matter over ; 
and at last Martin Pinzon came to Columbus, offering 
the service of himself and his brothers, providing they 
could agree upon terms. 

Not a day too soon did they come to this decision ; 
for on the next morning there appeared in the village a 
horseman who inquired for Senor Columbus, the com- 
mander of the fleet, which at their Majesties' command 
was being fitted out at Palos. 

The new-comer had an air of authority about him, 
giving the magistrates an uncomfortable feeling of fear. 



64 COLUMBUS. 

^' He may be a messenger from the King," whis- 
pered they. 

And it was not long before they found their worst 
fears wholly realized. 

With Columbus and Pinzon, later in the day he 
appeared before the chief and inquired of him what had 
been done. 

The chief was ready with excuses — such excellent 
excuses, so they thought ; but, behold, they moved not 
the stern messenger. In a few brief, telling sentences 
he gave the magistrates to understand that their be- 
havior was well known to their Majesties, and that were 
not their commands obeyed at once, little time would 
ensue between certain threats and the execution of those 
threats by the royal authority. 

The magistrates understood — moreover, they knew 
that they were understood, and that further parleying 
would be dangerous. The Pinzons, too, came forward 
now and declared their intention of sailing with 
Columbus, and urged their fellow-seamen to join them. 



COLUMBUS. 65 

After this, Columbus had far less trouble. The 
magistrates now fully realized that he had the royal 
authority back of him and dared no longer refuse to 
co-operate with him. The ship owners, too, permitted, 
though grumblingly, their vessels to be examined as to 
fitness for the expedition. 

At length three vessels were chosen — the " Pinta," 
the " Nina," and the " Santa Maria." 

These vessels were now put through a careful 
examination and were carefully repaired, and made in 
every way sound and safe. They were brought up on to 
the river-bank and thoroughly cleaned, calked, and tal- 
lowed. Rigging and sails were overhauled and made 
strong and secure. Provisions and supplies for a year's 
voyage were stored away, and finally a strong crew was 
selected. Landsmen for riggers, carpenters, calkers, and 
soldiers for possible emergencies, were added to the 
number, and at last, near the end of July, the expedition 
was ready to set out. 

As the day for sailing drew near the excitement in 



66 COLUMBUS. 

the little town rose higher and higher. Many who had 
willingly agreed to go, now began to draw back ; some 
ran away and hid. Columbus himself caught the calkers 
leaving long seams in the ship open that they might 
have to turn back when a little way out to sea, and seek 
the port for repairs. 

Early and late, in these last days, did Columbus 
work, — punishing the evil-disposed and encouraging 
the faint-hearted. Finally, on the second of August, 
Columbus announced himself ready to sail. 

" I have," wrote he to their majesties, " three 
vessels very suitable for the intended service, well fur- 
nished with a great plenty of supplies of all kinds, and 
manned with a large force of sea-poino* folk." 







COLUMBUS. 



67 



THE VOYAGE. 

AUGUST 3, 1492. 




SANTA MARIA, NINA, AND PINTA. 



Very early on the morning- of August 3, the little 
fleet set out from the harbor. The light mists of very 
early morning were still hanging over the waters, as the 
vessels passed into the channel. It was broad day-hght 
when the fleet, reaching the bar, bounded out into the 
ocean waters of the broad Atlantic. 



COLUMBUS. 69 

And now the land breeze, which had died away, as 
the sun rose higher and higher, was succeeded by a fresh 
strong breeze from the open sea. 

The ships plunged forth through the rollers on the 
shallow bar, the sails filled, and the three ships were 
headed due south to clear the Spanish coast, then lay 
direct from the distant Canary Islands. 

Now, Columbus was too old, and too experienced a 
sailor not to know of the possibilities for mutiny among 
sailors such as he had been obliged to take with him. 
Little confidence had he in them. Too many, he knew 
well enough, had come merely from hope of plunder m 
the lands which they should discover ; others had come, 
driven by fear of the royal threats. Very few, if any, 
came willingly, and with honorable intentions to be loyal 
to their commander. 

Knowing all diis, Columbus had arranged with 
Martin Pinzon to divide the doubtful sailors in such a 
manner, that all might be under strong control. 

He himself took command of the Santa Maria, on 



70 COLUMBUS. 

which were a large number of the grumbling discon- 
tented sailors. With him, too, he carried the officers of 
the Crown. 

In command of the Pinta, he placed Martin Alonzo, 
with his brother Francisco as officer next in power. 
With these, he placed two especially troublesome fellows, 
Rascon and Quintero, the owners of the vessel, and bade 
the Pinzons watch them closely. 

The other Pinzon commanded the Nina ; and, it is 
a pleasure to note just here, that the " Nina " ("little 
girl,") gave Columbus neither anxiety nor trouble during 
the voyage ; and was in an hour of danger, the means 
of saving him, and all the crew on the flag-ship, Santa 
Maria. 

The fresh strong breeze of the morning held good 
all day, and at sun-down the vessels had sailed so 
far south, that Columbus, signaling his companion 
vessels, turned his course south-west and stood straight 
for the Canary Islands. 

The next day, and the next, found the fleet holding 



72 COLUMBUS. 

steadily to its way, and making* its five or six miles an 
hour. 

Surely, such days as these at the very outset were 
indeed, an earnest of success. 

Columbus was full of hope and cheer, and encouraged 
his officers one and all to reason away the foolish dread 
and doubt, and superstitious fear in the hearts of 
so many of the sailors. 

On the next day, the wind was stronger still. 
Suddenly the Pinta hoisted the signal of distress. 

" The rudder is lost ! " called Martin Pinzon to 
Columbus, as the Santa Maria drew near. " But we can 
soon remedy that ! We can rig up some sort of a 
makeshift." 

" 'T is well Martin Alonzo is on board the ship," 
Columbus said to his aides, as they watched the smaller 
craft tossing and pitching a cable's length away. " I 
greatly doubt if her rascally owners did not aid the 
waves in their work of wrecking the rudder there. 
They are mutinous dogs at best, and gave me many a 



COLUMBUS. 73 

ruffle ere we sailed. Had they their own way, I warrant, 
they would find in this early mischance a good excuse 
for putting back to Spain." 

Martin Alonzo found it no easy matter to build a 
" make-shift " for a rudder ; but he was a man of will 
and of resources as well. Before night, he signaled 
Columbus, that all was well, and the vessels sailed along 

again. 

The next morning, however, the rudder again was 
found broken, and a day or two later, the vessel 
sprang a leak. There was no doubt now, but that the 
two men who owned the vessel were at the bottom of all 
this. Nothing could be done, but to keep sharp watch 
upon them, and proceed cautiously till the Canaries 
should be reached. There the vessel was over-hauled, 
and thoroughly repaired, and the crew changed about. 
After that all went well, the Pinta proving to be the 
best sailing vessel of the three. 

On the following Sunday there was seen looming up 
in the far distance, a blaze of fire. 



74 



COLUMBUS. 



" It's an angry sea-god ! " cried some of the sailors. 
" We shall be burned alive ! We are reaching the 
land of fire ! " cried others. 




THE BURNING MOUNTAIN. 



" Fools ! " sneered others, who in previous voyages 
had seen such volumes of fire before. " It is only a 
volcano ; a burning mountain ! " 

As they drew nearer, the frightened sailors, who 
had never seen such a sight before, now perceiving that 
the fire did indeed issue forth from a mountain, as 



COLUMBUS. 75 

their fellow-sailors had said, grew calm again. This 
incident had a good affect upon the ignorant ones among 
the crew, for it showed them that one, at least, of the 
dreaded horrors of the ocean had proven after all a 
mere nothing. 

This volcano was the Peak of Teneriffe, on that 
island called the " Great Canary." 

Another help, too, came both to Columbus and his 
sailors in this : that at the Canaries, where the fleet 
waited to repair the Pinta, the natives were full of 
accounts of a great land away out to the west, which on 
very clear days, could be easily seen from the mountain- 
tops. Hearing these repeated accounts, the sailors took 
courage, and when the little fleet was ready to set sail 
again, the crew were in high spirits, brave and full 
of courage. 

But no sooner were they ready to set sail, than word 
came that three Portuguese vessels were cruising about 
some seventy miles to the west. 

" Spain and Portugal are at peace, " said Colum- 



76 COLUMBUS. 

bus, " and there can be but one reason for the presence 
of three Portuo^uese vessels in these far ofP waters. 
There can be no doubt they are sent out to take 
us prisoners." 

"May God forbid," said Martin Alonzo, *' that 
a fleet of our great monarchs should turn back at 
the bidding of a Portuguese ! We have left our 
homes to find the coast of Asia ; and God helping us, 
we will ! " 

""Well said," answered Columbus. "Now let us 
keep well together and sail to the south of this island. 
Then will the Portuguese captain have but a sorry 
report to make to his sovereign, when next they meet." 

And away the brave little fleet sped. All that day, 
and night, and the next day, and next night, Columbus 
kept anxious outlook ; but the Portuguese evidently had 
not discovered their flight. 

And now the winds died away ; the waters became 
smooth. The heat grew more and more intense ; the 
sails flapped idly, not a sound was heard among the 



COLUMBUS. 77 

rio-o-incr. For three days did this " dead cahn " last, 
the vessels, wholly at the mercy of the waves, rolling 
and dipping in the glassy water. 

The sailors were terror-stricken. " Are we to lie 
here and die ? " asked one. " Are we beyond the reach 
of the wind ? " asked another. " We must be in shallow 
water near the edge of the earth ! " cried another. 

" Perhaps we shall be rocked over, down, down 
into space ! " whined another, his knees shaking with 
fear. 

" It is as the people said," groaned another ; " no 
good will come of such a sacrilegious voyage as 

this." 

" May the Father forgive us ! " cried another. 
" He knows we would not have come. His curse will 
fall upon them that forced us to this." 

All this, together with the sullen looks and 
the angry mutterings, was anything but a help to 
Columbus, weighed down as he was himself with 
anxiety. 



78 COLUMBUS. 

Glad indeed was lie when at last a stiff breeze arose, 
and again the vessels were speeding along. The sailors 
were convinced that they were not beyond the reach of 
the winds, at least. 

So the days passed on. One night a meteor shot 
across the sky, falling with hissing rage into the ocean. 
Again the superstitious sailors were convulsed with 
fear. " This surely was a thunderbolt from heaven ! " 

By-and-by they struck the trade winds. Again the 
seamen were terrified as the vessels were swept along 
from east to west. 

" Now," said the sailors, " we are in the very 
centre of the home of the winds. They are angry 
with us that we have found their home." 

With such men as these is it any wonder that 
Columbus resorted to all sorts of artifices to keep the 
crew from knowing the great distance they had sailed ? 
Two tables did Columbus keep — one of which was 
accurate, the other only half-reckoned, with which he 
could keep the fears of the crew within control. 



COLUMBUS. 



79 




LOOKING FOR LAND. 



LAND ! LAND ! 

For four weeks longer the little fleet held its 
way to the west. 

" Due west/' was the command of Columbus 



80 COLUMBUS. 

every hour ; but in spite of this, his pilot and officers, 
among whom was a strong superstitious fear of the 
south, at every opportunity would turn the vessel a little 
to the north. It was in the south that all the terrors 
lay — the land of winds, the river of fire, the zone 
of calms, and all the rest. 

This trick of his sailors gave Columbus no little 
uneasiness. If he could only depend upon even one of 
them for faithfully carrying out his commands ! By this 
continual pilotry of the vessel northward, not only was 
time being lost, but the course which Columbus felt sure 
was the direct and right one to follow was being lost and 
there could be no calculating where the vessels would 
land. More than that, it showed Columbus how little 
his crew were in sympathy with him, and how ready they 
would be at the least opportunity to mutiny. 

'^ Mark you, my men ! " he said, going up to them 
and speaking with sternness ; " our course lies west and 
ever west, and thither shall we sail. See you to it that 
we leave it not again without my orders. I care for 



COLUMBUS. 81 

no more of this wandering about, and on your shoulders 
shall fall the penalty if I am not heeded now." 

Four days out from the Canaries, a great floating 
log was passed. The sailors looked with terror upon it 

^^ It is a mast ! " they whispered to each other. 
" A wreck ! a wreck ! " 

Two days later, a new terror seized upon them. 
The needle — even the needle refused to obey the laws 
of the compass ! The needle no longer pointed to the 
north ! Now all reckoning was lost ! nothing now to 
guide them ; sure they were now to be lost ! 

Now this behavior of the needle was as great 
a surprise to Columbus, as to his men. Never had 
h« seen or heard of it before. But it disturbed him not 
in the least. He was thrown into no superstitious fears 
because of it. " There is," said he, " some scientific 
reason for this." And he set to work patiently and 
sensibly to study it out. 

Closely watching the compass day and night, and 
comparing its fluctuations with the polar star, he found 



82 COLUMBUS. 

that the variation was greatest at night ; while in 
the morning the needle pointed in a true line with the 
star. 

He explained to his pilots and crew, therefore, that 
the irregularity was due to no change on the part of the 
compass, but to the fact that the star itself described a 
tiny circle in the twenty-four hours, the needle thus 
pointing a little way from it at one hour while at 
another it was true. 

This sounded sensible enough ; and once more the 
fears of his crew were quieted. 

From day to day now, new signs of land near 
at hand began to appear. One day, great masses 
of grass floated by : grass so fresh and green, that 
no one could doubt — not even the most ignorant among 
the sailors — the near apj^roach to land. 

Another day, two pelicans alighted on the Santa 
Maria ; another day, a whale went sporting by ; one 
morning a fog-bank was plainly seen away to the north ; 
not a day passed, but little birds flew around among 



COLUMBUS. 83 

the rigging, singing merrily, till sunset, then flying 
away to the southwest. 

All these spoke of a speedy ending to their tedious 
journey ; but, with unreasonable perverseness the crew 
were led, by the very abundance of such hopeful signs 
and the long succession of perfect weather they 
were enjoying, to renew their grumbling and fault- 
finding. They noted that the wind had held steadily 
favorable to their westerly course until now, when they 
seemed to be approaching a region of calms. 

All the old yarns about ships and their companies 
floating forever and a day in a region of oily stagnation 
were accordingly revived. 

Constantly by day and by night, the strong easterly 
breezes had wafted them into this remote and unknown 
ocean. Now the winds were failing them, and more 
and more the fleet was becoming becalmed. With 
no wind to sail with, how should they ever get further 
to the west ? And with nothing but head winds to the 
eastward, how should they ever make their way 



34 COLUMBUS. 

back over that immense expanse to the port from which 
they had sailed? 

Columbus saw in this new outbreak of discontent a 
real and eminent peril. He was not much more than 
half-way across the distance that lay between the 
Canaries and Asia, according to his estimates; and if 
his men grew mutinous both at the wonders and beauties 
of Nature, as they seemed incHned to do, he feared they 
might turn upon him, and either compel him to put 
about and return to Spain, or at least alter his course 
and go on an idle search for their fancied islands. In 
either of these events his grand project would be ruined 
and his hopes turned into bitter failure. 

But just here a fresh, strong breeze came up. The 
waves began again to roll and tumble. " Never," wrote 
Columbus in his log-book, " were wind and wave so 
welcome. The men were convinced that they were not, 
then, beyond the reach of wind and wave." 

A few more days passed by. The sailors grew 
more and more restless. Columbus' anxiety was intense. 



COLUMBUS. 85 

If he could but control them a few hours longer ! Land 
must be near — of that he was sure. 

That very night as the sun dipped down into the 
waters, and the horizon hne lay sharp and clear between 
the sea and sky, Columbus and his men chmbed to the 
" castles " built high up among the rigging. 

" If only a glimpse of shore could be seen to give 
us courage," thought Columbus. 

The men watched eagerly. The sovereigns of 
Spain had promised a reward of thirty crowns to the 
man who should catch the first glimpse of land. 

Suddenly there came a shout from the Pinta which 
drew all eyes toward that ship. 

" The prize, Senor Captain, the prize ! " called out 
Martin Alonzo. " To me falls the reward. Yonder is 
land, due southwest, as the compass shows." 

At first Columbus saw nothing ; but hearing many 
of the Pinta's crew shouting, and the Nina's men affirm- 
ino- the same from the masthead and yards, to which 
they had swarmed at the first cry from the Pinta, he 



86 COLUMBUS. 

watched the horizon still more closely until to his sight, 
too, there seemed to be a faint, low blot far away to the 
southwest. 

" God's blessing rest upon you, Martin Alonzo ! " 
called out Columbus, on seeing this. " Yours is our 
sovereigns' reward, but to Him be the praise. Let us 
give Him thanks." 

Then falling on his knees, surrounded by his officers 
and crew, he solemnly intoned the noble chant " Gloria 
in Excelsis, " followed by those around him, Martin 
Alonzo and his brother, Vicente Yanez, setting a like 
example to the men on the Pinta and the Niila. 

What a picture must the three small ships have 
presented at that moment, as they slowly rolled to the 
long swell of that lonely ocean ! The tropical night 
closed down upon them, and the soft breath of the trade- 
wind carried the solemn words of those rouo'h and 
boisterous men out into the west toward the land they 
sought ! 

There was little sleep on board the vessels that 



COLUMBUS. 87 

night. Hardly could Columbus or the crew wait for 
morning to dawn, the morning which was to bring to 
them an end to the long voyage. 

The new country ! the new people ! what would it 
be like ? what would they be like ? Not a soul on board, 
from Columbus to the youngest ship-boy, but was sure 
the morning was to bring to them the great riches of 
the east. 

" We are," said Columbus, as darkness settled down 
upon them, " only about twenty-five leagues from the 
land." 

With the going down of the sun there rose a stiff 
breeze to the westward. On, on the little vessels flew in 
the bright moonlight, nearer the wonderful new land. 

At the very first breaking of the day, the sailors 
climbed to the very highest mast-heads to catch the first 
glimpse of land. Not a sign of land to be seen. The 
morning grew lighter ; still no land. On all sides lay 
the great mocking ocean, sparkling and shining as if 
sparkling and shining were all it had to do. 



88 COLUMBUS. 

" We have, perhaps, come too far south," said 
Columbus. And he changed the course. All day they 
sailed. Still no land. Evening came on ; even Pinzon 
himself gave up in disappointment. " It must have been 
some cloud bank we s ivv," said he. 

Great as was this disappointment, it did not affect 
the sailors as unfavorably as Columbus had feared. So 
many of them had seen that hazy outline in the south- 
west, that they would not believe themselves mistaken, 
and the conviction grew up among them that, after all, 
they would soon reach land. 

For another week nothing occurred to break the 
monotony of the voyage ; the winds were favorable and 
the sea smooth, so they made rapid headway. Now and 
then some land-bird would alight on the ships, or a 
pelican swoop down to rest on their yards, and once a 
flock of little birds settled in the rigging ; but otherwise 
no new sign of land appeared. The sailors amused 
themselves with snaring the birds and catching fish ; but 
soon the old complaining and grumbling set up again. 



COLUMBUS. 89 

And now no birds at all appeared. Columbus him- 
self grew anxious. But one morning a great flock of 
little land birds alighted on the masts, and he took 
courage again. Every day, now, new signs of land 
appeared. 

" I feel in my heart," said Pinzon, " that now 
indeed, land is close at hand." 

" Have you noticed the birds ? " asked Columbus of 
Pinzon ; " and have you thought that though we in this 
latitude are in the midst of soft summer weather, in the 
north it must be now — October — growing cold ? Has 
it occurred to you that these flocks of birds are migrat- 
ing to the south ? " 

" I have watched these birds," answered Pinzon, 
" all day ; and I had almost made bold to ask your 
worship if, by turning our course to the south, in the 
direction of the flight of the birds, we, too, would not 
come to some land of warmth and sunshine." 

" A little longer to the west," answered Columbus 
thoughtfully. '' The land, I still am sure, is in the west." 



90 COLUMBUS. 

" As your worship says," answered Pinzon ; and on 
the vessels sailed in their old course. Twenty-four 
hours later Columbus gave his order to the pilots — 
" Turn the course now to the southwest ! " 

The sailors, glad of any change, cheered with 
delight ; and when the bows headed away from the 
setting sun and the fleet stood on the more southerly 
passage, they forgot their fancied grievances and felt 
new hopes swell in their hearts. 

For several days smooth seas, blue skies, and fair 
winds still accompanied them, but yet no land appeared. 
The birds continued to pass overhead by day, and at 
night could be heard chattering and calling as they 
swept by in the darkness. Some which alighted on the 
vessels were found to be plainly field-birds, of a kind 
which could not possibly find rest on the water. 
Columbus himself noticed that the grasses and weeds 
which floated past his ship were singularly fresh and 
green ; the perfume of the forest came wafted out to 
them, and he felt sure that land was close at hand. 



COLUMBUS. 91 

The crew took courage ; hope ran high ; but again 
the days passed by, and in this new course they seemed 
no nearer land than before. 

Again the men began to complain. At last the 
crew of the flag-ship burst out in loud complaint and in 
open rebellion. 

" No longer," said they, " will we cruise about in 
this fool-hardy fashion to gratify the dreams of a half- 
crazed adventurer. Our lives are being sacrificed merely 
to satisfy the heartless ambition of a fool-hardy sea- 
captain." 

" Suppose our worthy captain were to fall over- 
board?" said some of the most reckless and daring 
of the crew% insinuatingly. " Suppose he were to fall ill 
and die ? " sneered others. 

"He might fall overboard to-night," hoarsely 
whispered one, " while he is taking the altitude of 
the Polar Star." 

But only a few of the crew encouraged these 
extreme measures. " Let us go to him," said the others, 



92 COLUMBUS. 

" and tell him plainly that we do not propose to sail one 
day farther from our homes. Let us demand that, 
without delay, we turn back to Spain." 

According, they went to Columbus and stated 
their wishes, not hesitathig to let him know that if 
he refused, he might expect open rebellion from all 
on board. 

Columbus was a reasonable commander. He 
appreciated the position and the feeling among the 
crew. So, going forward to where a group of sailors 
stood earnestly conversing together, he spoke to them 
wdth frankness and kindness. 

He showed them his chart, and explained to them 
just what he wished to do, and just what reasons he had 
for expecting hourly the appearance of land. 

He appealed to the officers to say if he was not right 
in what he saw to be unfailing signs of the approach 
to land. Then dwelling largely on the great wealth of 
the East, sure to be theirs, if only they were brave 
enough to reach it, he begged them to consider well, if 



COLUMBUS. 93 

they were willing, now, with the voyage so near its end, 
the land so close upon them, to abandon all this, 
and to return to Palos subject to the sneers and 
laughter of their comrades. 

And then after arguing in this manner with them 
for their own good, Columbus added now a word on his 
own account : 

" I am the Captain-General of this fleet and the 
Ambassador of our royal sovereigns to the courts 
of Asia, my men. Under their Highnesses' orders 
we set out for the Indies across this western sea, and to 
the Indies we are going, with God's help and blessing. 
Look you to it that we have no more of this ; for, 
grumbling or no grumbling, we are going to find the 
land we have come so far to seek." Then, turning 
on his heel, he walked aft to his cabin. 

The men were silenced by this. For a few hours at 
least, there was a willingness on their part to go on. If 
it should be as Columbus had said ! If the land with its 
riches should be so close at hand ! 



94 COLUMBUS. 

How long this spirit of submission would have 
lasted, we cannot say. But Columbus hailed it as 
fortunate enough, that on the very next day unmistak- 
able signs of land appeared. 

The land-birds still flew past, always keeping the 
same direction ; but the sailors had almost ceased to heed 
them, — they had proven false prophets. 

When later in the day, however, the " Santa 
Maria's " crew saw a green rush float by their ship, they 
could not doubt that it had come from shore. 

Some leaned over the vessel's side eagerly searching 
for other tokens, while more yet kept a keen lookout 
along the horizon ahead for the first faint looming of 
the land. Before long the Pinta's men saw plainly 
drifting past, almost within their reach, a fresh canestalk 
and a stick of wood ; and shortly after drew on board, 
in quick succession, another stalk, a bunch of weeds 
which could only have grown on dry land, and a bit 
of plank. This latter, with a second piece of wood 
which seemed to have been cut with some tool, satisfied 



COLUMBUS. 95 

the most timid that they were indeed approaching* 
the shores o£ an inhabited country. 

At last, night came on. Every heart was beating 
high. Every eye was strained to discover the land 
so soon to appear before them. Columbus himself, 
had stationed himself far up among the rigging, that 
he might discover the faintest trace of land. 

Suddenly, afar out towards the western horizon 
a liofht flashed. " A lio^ht 1 '' called Columbus to his 
officers. '' Do you see a light far out in the west? " 

Once, twice, thrice, the light flashed ; then nothing 
more was seen of it. Columbus felt sure that light 
could come from nothing but the land. Still, little 
proof had he for the great hope within him. 

Hour after hour sped by. Two o'clock came 
and went. Just then, the moon came out clear and 
bright from among the heavy clouds, and at the same 
moment the dull roar of the cannon from the Pinta was 
heard. This was the agreed signal should land be seen. 

Now the Nina and the Santa Maria pressed forward 



96 COLUMBUS. 

towards the Pinta to learn the news. But little need 
had they to ask. There, stretched out before them, 
not more than two miles away, lay a long line of sand, 
upon which could be plainly seen the heavy surf 
dashing in long, broken lines of snowy foam. 

" Land 1 Land ! ' ' cried the excited crew. " Land ! 
Land ! " echoed from ship to ship. 

" It is well the light of the moon burst out upon 
us," said Columbus, quietly ; " else I fear we are so near 
the shallow waters, that we may have met with ship^ 
wreck/' 

Think of it I So near land as to be in danger 
of reefs and breakers. Even that seemed a happy 
possibility to the delighted seamen. At least, there 
was something familiar about that ; and it had been 
so long, so very long, since anything familiar had 
been known to them. 

" Shorten sails and lie to till day-break ! " ordered 
Columbus. " We must advance slowly and cautiously, as 
we approach these unknown shores." Then all the crew 



COLUMBUS. 97 

knelt upon the ships' decks, and Columbus humbly gave 
thanks to God, who had thus prospered this voyage, and 
had led him to this land across the seas. 

Never did morning break so slowly — as least so 
the sailors thought. But at last, it came — the clear 
bright morning light. 

As the sun rose, throwing its light more and more 
brightly upon the land, they saw that there lay 
before them a beautiful, low island, rich in its wealth 
of tropical foliage. To the weary sailors' eyes it seemed 
as if there never were such trees, never such green 
earth, never such a beautiful shore. 

Out from the forest thronged the natives, chattering 
and gesticulating in the wildest manner. The boats 
were lowered ; and Columbus, dressed in robes 
of scarlet, and with rich Castilian plumes, approached 
the shore. Such a wealth of flowers down to the very 
water's edge ! In the midst of them, Columbus knelt 
and gave thanks to God. 

His sailors, some of them truly penitent, others 



COLUMBUS. 99 

cringing in the hope that their cowardice might be 
forgotten, knelt about him weeping, praying, rejoicing 
— all full of wild delight that their perils were over, and 
that in spite of the croakings of the Spanish monks, 
they were safely on shore once more. 

With most imposing ceremony, Columbus took 
possession of the new land in the name of Spain and 
gave it the name of San Salvador (Holy Savior). The 
natives, timidly looking on, with awe-stricken faces, 
watched every movement of the " people of the sky," 
as they believed they were. 

By-and-by, finding that their visitors seemed 
in nowise inclined to do them harm, the natives came 
forward, bringing fruit and bread, and showing in every 
possible way, through sign language, their desire to 
welcome their guests. 

All day long the sailors wandered about the island, 
eating the rich fruit, wondering at the strange homes 
of the natives, and admiring the grand beauty of the 
forest. At night all returned to the ships. In the 



lOO 



COLUMBUS. 




THE NATIVES SWIM OUT AND BRING GIFTS. 

morning', at the first sign of life, a throng of natives 
plunged into the water and swam to the ships' sides. 
Kindly they were received, and after a short visit, 
during which they sharply inspected the " strange white 
birds" as they called the ships, they swam back, 
delighted as children with the bits of colored beads that 
Columbus had given them. 



COLUMBUS. 101 

THE SEARCH FOR GOLD. 

In a day or two Columbus set out with his boats to 
make a tour around the island. Everywhere he found 
the same beautiful foHage, the clear, sparkling waters, 
the abundant fruits. 

In writing- the account of this cruise about the 
island in his journal, he says : 

" Some of them offered us water and others food ; 
while others still, when they perceived we did not intend 
to go on shore, threw themselves into the sea and swam 
out to us. We thought they asked us whether we came 
from heaven, and one old man came into my barge and 
in a loud voice cried out to the men and women ashore : 
' Come and see the people who have come down from 
heaven ! bring them something to eat and drink ! ' 

" A great many now appeared, both men and 
women, each carrying something and giving thanks 
to God by prostrating themselves on the ground and 
raising their heads towards the skies. Afterward they 



102 COLUMBUS. 

shouted to us that we should go on shore ; but I was 
afraid to land on account of a great reef of rocks which 
encircles the island, the entrance through which is very 
narrow, although there is room enough inside for all 
the ships in Christendom. To be sure, there are 
certain shoals inside the reef ; but the sea is as quiet 
as a pond. 

" It was in order to examine all this that I set out 
this morning, so that I might give an account of it 
to your Highnesses, and also to find a good site for 
a fort if any should be required. I came upon a piece 
of ground on which were six cabins, which is almost 
an island, but not quite. This could be turned com- 
pletely into an island in two days ; but I do not think 
it necessary, for these people are very ignorant of 
weapons, as your Majesties can see from the seven 
of them which I have caused to be seized, that I 
might carry them with me and teach them our language 
and then bring them back. 

" Later on your Highnesses can either send out 



COLUMBUS. 103 

and remove all these natives to Castile, or hold them 
captive in the island itself, as may be best ; for fifty 
Spaniards can keep the whole population in subjection 
and compel them to do whatever is wanted. Close 
to this little peninsula there are good springs and 
groves of trees more beautiful than any I have ever 
seen, and with their leaves as green as the woods of 
Spain in May and April. After examining that harbor 
I returned to the ships, and gave orders to make sail. 

" So many islands are in sight, that I cannot 
make up my mind which to visit first. The natives I 
have brought with me explained by signs that there 
were so many and so very many that they could not be 
counted, and they called more than a hundred by name. 
I have therefore chosen the largest one and decided to 
go to it ; and this I am doing now. It is, perhaps, five 
leagues distant from San Salvador, and of the others 
some are nearer and some farther. 

" They are all level, without any mountains, and 
are very fertile. They are likewise inhabited, and the 



104 COLUMBUS. 

people on them seem to make war upon their neighbors, 
although these I have with me are very simple-hearted 
and magnificent specimens of manhood." 

But ColumbuSj like his successors in Spanish 
explorations, was looking for wealth. Rich foliage and 
sparkling waters were hardly gifts to carry back to 
Isabella. 

One morning there appeared at the water's edge, 
some beautiful women decked out with bright feathers, 
and with bright yellow rings of gold in their noses, 
'd^agerly Columbus approached them, and made offers 
to exchange his bright colored beads for the golden 
rings. " Here at last," said Columbus, " is an 
indication of gold. We must find where it came from." 

Closely inquiring of the natives, they told him, or 
at least he thought they did, judging as well as he 
could from their signs and unknoAvn words, that 
somewhere, farther south, was a land of gold. There 
was a king there, so they said, who sat upon a golden 
throne and was served upon golden dishes. 



COLUMBUS. 105 

" We must seize some of these natives/' said 
Columbus, '^ and teach them Spanish. We can never 
learn anything without interpreters." Seven men were 
accordingly chosen, and were carried on ship-board. 
Some say these seven natives went willingly ; but there 
is a story told of one, who, seeing a canoe-load of his 
people at a little distance from the ship, sprang 
overboard and swam to them so rapidly that the 
Spaniards could not overtake him. This story, if true, 
looks as if the natives were given very little choice as to 
whether they would serve their Spanish guests or not. 

A boat set off in pursuit of the canoe ; but reached 
it only in time to see its occupants flee into the forests, 
leaving the canoe upon the shore. The canoe the 
sailors took back to their ship, as a trophy to be 
exhibited by-and-by in Spain. This was a mean act ; 
for the generous natives would gladly have given them 
more canoes than they could have carried ; and would 
have been proud that they had anything worthy 
to be carried away by these " people from the sky." 



106 COLUMBUS. 

At another time, a native, having heard that the 
Spaniards would buy their balls of cotton, paddled 
up to the ship's side and held up a large ball for 
the sailors to see. The sailors, leaning over, and 
pretending to examine the cotton, seized the poor native 
and dragged him on board. 

Columbus, who had seen this mean act, ordered 
the captive to be brought to him. The poor Indian, 
trembling with fear, dropped upon his knees before 
Columbus, holding up the ball of cotton, as if to say, 
" I meant no harm. I only wanted to change my 
cotton for a piece of colored glass. 0, children of 
the skies ! let me be free, let me be free ! '* 

Columbus, sternly rebuking his sailors, gave the 
poor Indian a string of bright beads, placed upon his 
head a gay colored cap, and ordered him to be put 
into his canoe and allowed to return to the island. 

Columbus, it is said, was always kind to the 
natives, and was careful that his sailors, as far as he 
was able to command, should also be careful in their 



COLUMBUS. 107 

treatment of them. It would have been well had 
the successors of Columbus followed his policy in this 
respect, as well as in many others. 

The natives Columbus had brought with him from 
San Salvador,— or his interpreters, although they did 
not know a word of Spanish, indicated to him by signs 
that there was plenty of gold in a certain island near by, 
and that the inhabitants wore heavy bracelets and 
anklets of this precious metal. At least, this is what 
the Admiral supposed they said. 

But when he went on shore the next morning at 
daylight, accompanied by all the boats of the squadron, 
he found the people to be in the same poor condition as 
those of San Salvador. On seeing this he came to 
the conclusion that the interpreters had only told 
him such tales to get a chance of going on shore 
and running away. Nor is it at all improbable; for 
even a few days passed on board the small ship must 
have convinced the men of Guanahani that their freedom 
was better than a half prison life with the Spaniards. 



108 COLUMBUS. 

Columbus realized this, and also that it was 
very necessary that, if they would hope for peace 
or success on future voyages, these natives must be 
treated kindly, and above all not be frightened by 
the new-comers to their shores. 

At another time when he was approaching a new 
island a native rowed swiftly to the ship's side and 
asked to be taken on board. 

When he was safe upon deck, he opened a little 
basket in which were some colored beads and two 
Spanish coins. " I go," said the Indian, with many 
signs and much gesticulation, " from my island to the 
one to which you are now directed to show them 
these presents and make them ready for you." 

Columbus ordered that their guest be treated with 
the greatest kindness and honor ; and when they drew 
near the island, giving him fresh presents, the native 
was put into his canoe to paddle ashore. 

In the morning, when the Spaniards landed in their 
boats, they found the natives already at the water-side 



COLUMBUS. 109 

eager to welcome the strange new people with the 
" great white birds." 

This island, too, they found rich and beautiful 
in everything but gold. At every step they saw new 
beauties and new wonders. 

On their return to the ship, Columbus again wrote 
in his journal for the king and queen : 

" While the men were away getting the water, 
I wandered among the trees, which were the most 
beautiful things to look at that I ever saw. They are 
very different from those we are accustomed to, and 
many of them have several kinds of branches springing 
from a single trunk, — one branch of one sort and 
another of another, so that it is the greatest marvel in 
the world to see them. 

" One branch will have leaves like a cane-stalk, 
and another like a gum-tree and so on, half a dozen 
kinds on one trunk. These are not grafted, for one 
can tell when a graft is made ; but they grow wild in 
this manner, and the people pay no attention to them. 



no COLUMBUS. 

" The fishes also are entirely different from ours'; 
some are like cocks, of the most beautiful colors 
imaginable, — blue, red, yellow, and every other color ; 
and some painted in a thousand fashions. The colors 
are so perfect that there is not a man among us who 
is not astonished at them, and does not delight in 
seeing them. Off the islands there are also whales ; 
but on the land I saw no animals of any kind except 
lizards and parrots, although one of the sailors told 
me he had seen a large snake." 

But all this time the natives had been pointing 
eastward and telling the Spaniards of an island there 
where gold would be found in plenty. 

Accordingly on the morning of the 19th of 
October, Columbus set sail in the direction indicated by 
the natives. In a few hours they were in sight of 
it ; and by noon were close upon it. 

On this island, so the interpreters insisted, there 
was a great city, and a king, and such stores of gold 
and treasure. 



COLUMBUS. Ill 

Reaching the shore the Spaniards saw little signs 
of anything like a city; indeed, Columbus had Httle 
faith in the extravagant stories of the natives. 

Still every effort must be made to carry back to 
Spain shiploads of gold, as proofs of what wonderful 
shores they had visited, and as incitement to Spanish 
sailors to visit these lands on later voyages. Writing 
of this island as they lay to, waiting for a favorable 
time to land, Columbus said : 

" In the morning I am going alongshore until I can 
see and talk with this king, who, according to what they 
tell me with their signs, is lord over all these islands 
hereabouts, and is properly clothed, and wears much 
gold about his person. 

"Nevertheless, I do not put entire faith in what 
they tell me, not only because I cannot understand 
well what they say, but because I see that they 
themselves are so poor in gold that however little 
this king might have it would seem to them like a 
great deal. 



112 COLUMBUS. 

" This cape, which I call Beautiful, I take to be 
an island apart from Saomet, and conceive that there 
are others yet between ; but I do not attempt to 
examine everything in detail, for I could not hope to 
do it in fifty years, and I wish to see and discover 
the most that is possible, so as to return to your 
Highnesses in April, God willing. 

" It is true, however, that if I find any place 
where there are gold and spices in plenty I shall 
remain until I have collected all I can ; and thus it 
is that I do not do otherwise than sail on until I 
come to such a place." 

The next morning Columbus landed and explored 
the island. " It should, indeed, be called the island 
Beautiful," said he ; '^ for rich and beautiful and 
wonderful as have been those islands we have already 
visited, none of them can compare with this." 

Of course they found no city, no king, no 
golden treasure. But the natives of this island told 
them of another island — a great island — Cuba — 



COLUMBUS. 113 

where there was a wonderful city built of gold and 
a king who sat upon a golden throne. 

All this time, remember, little readers, Columbus 
supposed he was upon islands near the coast of 
Asia. 

" Although my Indians call it Cuba," wrote 
Columbus in his journal, " I believe, from the signs 
they make, that this must be Cipango. They say 
that in that place are to be found many ships and 
merchants, and very great, and near it is another 
large island which they call Bohio ; but this and the 
others which they say lie between here and Cuba I 
can visit as I sail thither. 

" According to whether I find plenty of gold and 
spices, I shall then determine what to do. 

But at all events I am decided to go to 
the mainland and visit the city of Quinsay, and 
deliver the letters of your majesties to the Grand 
Khan and ask him for a reply, and return to 
Spain." 



114 COLUMBUS. 

Sailing to this island of Cuba, Columbus again 
writes : 

" All last night and all to-day have I been wait- 
ing here at anchor to see whether this king or ^any 
of his people would bring me gold or anything else 
of value. But these islanders are like the others, 
naked and poor, painted in all the colors of the rain- 
bow, and offering nothing more valuable for exchange 
than javelins and cotton. 

" When the sailors give them a bit of broken 
glass or a fragment of a cracked pot, the Indians 
hand it from one to another as thouo'h it were some 
divine treasure. 

" Now and again a savage appears with a little 
scrap of beaten gold stuck through a hole in his 
nose or ear, and this he very willingly exchanges for 
a tiny bell or a few colored beads; but it is at best 
so little that it is almost nothing. 

" I have made up my mind not to sail around 
this island as I had intended, in order to search for 



COLUMBUS. 1X5 

the city and have intercourse with this king or lord, 
since that would delay me a great deal, and I per- 
ceive that there is no mine of gold in this country. 

" Besides, to sail around these islands many kinds 
of wind are necessary, and the wind will not always 
blow the way men want. 

" Moreover, it is not worth while to remain here 
longer, as I am going to where there is commerce 
to be had on a large scale, and to find a country 
which will be very profitable. For all that, I believe 
that this island might prove lucrative enough in 
spices; but I know nothing about these, for which 
I am more grieved than I can say." 



116 COLUMBUS. 

THE ISLAND OF CUBA. 

Columbus next sailed to Cuba. For here, so 
the natives of the island Beautiful assured him, 
would he find the great city and the king for whom 
he sought. 

Little confidence did Columbus put in the stories 
of the natives now ; but from certain reports they 
made as to the distance and position of this Cuba, 
Columbus grew more and more inclined to believe 
that it was indeed Cathay. 

As he drew near, he was struck with the won- 
derful beauty of the island. "It is," said he, "like 
the Sicilan islands, and its grandeur recalls to me the 
majesty of the sierras of Granada." 

Close down to the river's edge came the dense 
tropical forests. As the oars splashed and the keels 
grated upon the sands, up flew a multitude of gayly 
feathered birds chattering and screaming and fluttering 
their wonderful plumage. 



COLUMBUS. 117 

Near the landing Columbus found two huts — 
fishermen's huts, for in them were nets and lines and 
hooks made from bone. This was all they found, 
for the huts were empty and no sign of life was 
anywhere to be seen. 

"It was such a delight to behold all that fresh- 
ness and those wonderful forests with their multitude 
of birds/' he writes, "that I could with difficulty 
turn back to go on board the ships. 

"I noticed," said he, "plants and wild-flowers 
like those of Europe, and in several places, even 
along the seashore, the grass grew long and fresh 
close down to the water's edge; showing that no 
furious tempests could ever rage there, for otherwise 
the beaches would everywhere be swept bare of 
vegetation. 

"The palms, too, are far more sightly than those 
of Southern Europe and the African coasts, as here 
their trunks are clean and straight, and not encum- 
bered with the ugly growth of dead fibre." 



118 COLUMBUS. 

Indeed, Columbus was fully persuaded that he 
had at length reached Cipango. In the mountains 
he believed lay hidden mines of gold, and on the 
beach near the fisher's cabins he had seen large piles 
of mussel-shells. 

What could be clearer than that these were the 
source from which were drawn the famous pearls of 
the Orient? When he showed them to the Indians 
on the Santa Maria they made signs that people 
came from ten days' distance off to seek them. 

To Columbus's eager mind this obviously meant 
that China was only that far away ; their ships, of 
course, came hither to get these pearls and other 
treasures, and took them back to their kingdom. 

Day after day the Spaniards, with their inter- 
preters and guides, explored the great island. Always 
were the natives ready to tell of a great city " a little 
further on ; " but never did the Spaniards quite suc- 
ceed in finding that city. 

At one time he sent his interpreters and two of 



COLUMBUS. 119 

the crew on a journey far into the island in search 
of the city. But they returned treasureless, reporting* 
nothing but a beautiful island, beautiful trees, beauti- 
ful flowers, beautiful birds. 

" We traveled," said they, " forty miles inland. 
The road was narrow, leading through dense forests 
and over rich carpets of grass and flowers. As for 
the birds, there seemed an infinite number, and all 
unlike any ever seen in Spain." 

On the third day of their journey they reached 
a settlement which, from the guide's description, 
they knew must be the city for which they were 
searchinof. 

But, alas, for their high hopes ! The village 
contained only about fifty houses, built of canes and 
palm leaves. It was very well built, and so large 
that each house contained at least twenty inhabitants. 

As they approached the place, the people flocked 
out to meet them ; and after no little talking they 
were led into the largest of these dwellings, the prin- 



120 COLUMBUS. 

cipal men of the town taking them by the arm as a 
mark of honor. 

When all the men were gathered within the 
house, the women were forbidden to enter ; and the 
Spaniards were seated on stools in the midst of the 
apartment. One after another the savages then 
pressed forward, kissing the white men's hands and 
feet, and touching them to see what manner of 
strange creatures they might be. 

From their gestures it was plain that the Indians 
supposed they had come down from the skies, — an 
error which the messengers did not seem to correct. 

After the first excitement was over the Indians 
all squatted on the floor in a circle around the 
strangers ; while the interpreter explained what great 
and powerful people these white men were, how won- 
derfully they lived, and what extraordinary treasures 
they possessed, assuring his hearers that they were 
the best beings in the world, and true friends of the 
natives, to whom they gave magnificent presents. 



COLUMBUS. 121 

"You must take very good care of these visitors 
from heaven," continued the interpreter, "else the 
Great Spirit will be angry with us, and perhaps will 
punish us with sickness and famine." 

By-and-by the Indians arose, and without a 
word, passed out. Then the Indian women came in. 
They, too, squatted upon the floor, and looked upon 
them with evident adoration. Again the interpreter 
told over his story of the wonderful sky visitors, while 
the women listened with wide open eyes and mouths. 

All this was highly interesting to listen to, but 
it was far from the kind of report Columbus had 
hoped to hear. 

" You have done your work well, my men," said 
he to the ambassadors; "but I fear the gold we shall 
get from such cities as these will be of little value 
in the eyes of our great sovereigns Ferdinand and 

Isabella." 

From this time on, Columbus did little more than 
prepare for the return voyage. The vessels needed 



122 COLUMBUS. 

preparing, and there was much to be done in the way 
of cruising about the islands, gathering gum and 
bark from the trees, mapping out the country, and 
building homes for those of the Spaniards who were 
to remain here to settle a colony while Columbus 
returned to Spain to report the result of this voyage 
across the ocean. 



Behind him hiy the gray Azores, 

Behind the gates of Hercules ; 
Before him not the ghost of shores, 

Before him only shoreless seas. 
The good mate said : ' ' Now must we pray. 

For lo ! the very stars are gone. 
Speak, Admiral, what shall I say? " 

" Why say, ' Sail on ! sail on ! and on ! ' " 

Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck, 

And peered through darkness. Ah, that night 
Of all dark nights ! And then a speck — 
A light ! A light ! A light ! A light I 
It grew, a starlit flag unfurled ! 
It grew to be Time's burst of dawn, 
He oained a world : he save that world 



to' 

Its grandest lesson : ' ' On ! and on 



Joaquin Miller 



COLUMBUS. 



123 




ALONZO PINZON'S DESERTION. 

Alonzo Pinzon was the commander of the Pinta. 
Being a man of equal inteUigence in affairs of the sea» 
he had lent his wealth and influence most heartily 
to aid Columbus in his enterprise, and had, during 
the voyage, proved himself Columbus's " right-hand 
man," as we say. 



124 COLUMBUS. 

It was he who assisted CoUimbus in fitting out his 
ships ; it was he, who, during the first days of the 
voyage, when the superstitious sailors were beside them- 
selves with fright, encouraged and cheered them on with 
promises of reward ; it was he, who later, on the 
voyage, when there was grumbling and muttering and 
mutiny, helped Columbus to keep the crew in check 
and make it possible to reach the newly discovered 
country. 

One would suppose from all this, that Columbus 
and Pinzon would have been the best of friends ; that 
they would have held their success so much a thing 
of common interest and of common glory that separation 
would have been an impossibility. 

But the same old enemy, self, that is always getting 
in our way to make us do unworthy acts, seems to have 
taken possession of these two men. Columbus, good 
man as he was, began to grow a little jealous of Pinzon. 
He thought he was a little too commanding, and not 
as willing to yield to his authority as he should be. 



COLUMBUS. 125 

Pinzorij on his side, thought thus : " I am not 
Cohimbus's follower. Was I not one of the chief 
workers, both with money and with influence, in this 
enterprise of his ? What do I owe this man ? Does he 
not rather owe me money, labor, influence — everything 
that has made it possible for him to succeed in his 
undertaking ? And now he would make a mere hireling 
of me. We'll see. I shall show him that Alonzo 
Pinzon is no slave of his." 

For some time this feeling between these two men, 
who should have been the best of friends, had been 
growing more and more bitter. Each one on the alert 
for some ofPence committed by the other. 

One night, when the three ships had been cruising 
about among the islands, Columbus, as usual, put up 
the signal to return to the harbor. But Pinzon paid no 
heed whatever. 

Columbus thought little of this then, as she was 
the swiftest sailer of the fleet and might be standing on 
with the intention of overtaking the flagship later. 



126 COLUMBUS. 

As the night closed in, however, he saw the Pinta 
away off on the horizon, still steering due east with all 
sails set, and every moment increasing the distance 
between herself and the two other vessels. 

Loath to believe that so true a sailor and so brave 
a man as her captain was, would be guilty of so rank an 
act of disobedience, Columbus tried to believe that the 
distance had misled him, and that the Pinta must 
in reality be heading for him ; so he ordered his own 
ship and the Nina to take in part of their canvas and 
continue their way to the coast under easy sail. 

He also ordered that a bright light should be kept 
shining all night long as a guide to the missing vessel. 
Thus, he hoped against hope to hear Martin Alonzo's 
hail before many hours were past ; the more especially 
as the wind blew strong from the direction of the Pinta. 

The anxious night passed nevertheless ; and when 
Columbus mounted the castle of his ship as soon as the 
first gray light of morning broke in the eastern sky^ 
both ocean and horizon were bare of ship or sail. 



COLUMBUS. 127 

There was no longer possibility of doubt. Pinzon had 
evidently gone on a cruise of his own. 

Columbus was annoyed and angry. Had Pinzon 
gone cruising about by himself ; or what would be 
worse still, had he set out for Spain, that he might 
be the first to announce the tidings of the great 
discovery, and so enjoy the glory that would be heaped 
upon him when the wonderful success of the voyage 
was known ? " Little credit for its success," thought 
Columbus bitterly," will he be likely to give to me." 

But it was of little use to pursue Pinzon's vessel. 
The ocean was far too large — and the ocean tells 
no tales. Columbus, therefore, continued his explora- 
tions from island to island, desiring now, more than 
ever, that somewhere he might find gold and silver, 
and so carry home to Spain something to weigh in his 
own favor over and above any reports, any mere word- 
pictures, with which Pinzon might endeavor to steal 
from him the favor of the Spanish sovereigns. 

On one island, he was told there lived a tribe 



128 COLUMBUS. 

of man-eaters — the Caribs, as they called them. On 
another island he found trees so large that the natives 
were able to dig out from one of them a canoe large 
enough and long enough to carry a hundred men. 

On another island, which he named Hispaniola 
(Little Spain) he found the natives living in houses with 
gardens, and these grouped in little villages. The 
people everywhere were friendly, welcoming the 
Spaniards always as wonderful beings just come from 
the skies ; and at Hispaniola the king, so Columbus 
wrote to Isabella, was so generously inclined, and 
so proud of his visitors that he everywhere presented 
Columbus to his people as " my brother." 

At one time, when the sailors were rambling about 
the island, they came in sight of a band of natives 
playing and laughing and racing with each other. At 
sight of the Spaniards, the islanders fled. The Span- 
ards gave chase. One beautiful young girl was captured 
and carried to the ship. Poor, frightened child ! 
trembling like a leaf, she was brought before Columbus. 



COLUMBUS. 129 

Again did he win the confidence of the simple- 
hearted people, and the respect of all of us who read 
about him, by treating her with gentle kindness. 
Putting upon her a beautiful robe, and giving her 
a bunch of little tinkling bells, he bade his sailors return 
her to her people. 

" It was vastly amusing," Columbus wrote, " to 
watch this young maiden strutting up and down the 
shore arrayed in her wonderful robe, and followed 
by throngs of admiring natives." 

A few days later, when Columbus and his men 
went on shore, this same maiden was borne upon a 
sort of litter down to the shore to greet the Spaniards 
as they landed. She was still arrayed in her robe and 
was prouder of her little bells and the strings of 
colored beads than ever was a queen with all her costly 
jewels. 

Among all these people, Columbus found great 
readiness and willingness on their part to give to the 
new comers anything and everything they owned. 



130 COLUMBUS. 

• 

But Columbus never took advantage of their simple 
generosity. For every bit of gold, he always returned 
something from the ships which to the Indian should be 
of more than equal value. 

One morning, just as the sun was gilding the ocean 
with its golden light, a great canoe pushed off from 
an island near by and darted forward towards the ships. 

In this canoe, gayly arrayed in bright plumes and 
feathers, sat a messenger from the island chief. He 
brought to Columbus a beautiful belt, embroidered with 
beads, carved bits of ivory, and decorated with a 
little head, very neatly carved, and set with bits of 
gold. 

The ambassador brought from their chief greeting 
and an invitation to come to their island to visit. 
Columbus of course accepted this cordial invitation. 
He found the chief living in a beautiful town, laid out 
with streets and a large, nicely-kept public square. 
From all the towns about, the natives thronged to see 
the people from the sky. " Their hospitality," wrote 



COLUMBUS. 131 

CoIuhiIdus, " might well have put to shame the hospi- 
tality of many a civilized town." 

It was off the coast of this island, that Columbus's 
vessel was one night wrecked. And when word of the 
disaster reached the island chief, it is said he wept aloud. 
Then summoning all his men, he ordered every canoe, 
great and small, to hasten to the Spaniards' relief. 

The chief himself worked hard a whole day 
and a whole night, helping to unload the sinking 
vessel. Standing over the cargo himself, he guarded it 
faithfully ; and not one article, tempting as it must have 
been to the natives, was stolen. 

Indeed, there seemed no inclination on the part 
of any of the natives to carry away anything from the 
ship. The things were to the natives all wonderful and 
beautiful ; but the simple fact that they did not belong 
to them, seemed reason enough why they should not be 
taken ; and a certain noble sense of honor seemed 
to hold them above any thought of taking advantage 
of the Spaniards' misfortune. 



132 COLUMBUS. 

For sometime Columbus and his men remained 
upon this island. In comfortable houses, living upon 
rich fruit and the freshest of meat and fish, surrounded 
with every possible comfort, the sailors would hardly 
have rebelled had Columbus resolved to live on and on 
with no thought of return to Spain. But with the 
Pinta gone, he knew not where, the other ship wrecked, 
Columbus felt that it would be wisest to hasten to Spain 
before some disaster overtook their one remaining 
vessel. 

And so, leaving a little colony who should await 
his return he sailed away. 



Merrily every bosom boiindeth, 

Homeward we go, homeward we go ; 
Over the sea the song resoimdeth, 

Homeward we go, homeward we go ! 
There the smiles of loved ones will l)e beaming, 
Banners gay in welcome will be streaming ; 
Merrily every bosom boundeth, 

Homeward we go, homeward we go , 
Over the sea the song resoundeth 

Homeward we go, homeward we go. 



COLUMBUS. 133 

THE RETURN VOYAGE. 

It was in January that Columbus set forth again 
to cross the water. Baffled by calms and head-winds, 
the little vessel made its way but slowly out from among 
the mountains. Hardly had it sailed fifty miles when 
the pilot cried, " The Pinta ! the Pinta ! " 

Sure enough, there was the Pinta. At once a 
signal was run up which this time Pinzon readily 
obeyed. 

It was a weak sort of an excuse Pinzon had to 
offer for his desertion, which, even if Columbus had 
been a little unfair in his treatment of him, was not 
quite an honorable thing to do. 

" On the night of my separation from your flag- 
ship," said Pinzon, " the wind drove us so far eastward 
that when the day broke, believe me, there was neither 
fleet nor land in sight. 

" Your Excellency will well believe," continued 
Pinzon, with mock humility, " the terror and confusion 



134 COLUMBUS. 

which overcame me at this discovery. All that it was 
in my power to do to regain the coast of Cuba, I did 
with my ship, — and men have said that I am no mean 
sailor ; but despite my stoutest labors, we were driven 
far away to the east until we reached some barren and 
rocky islands, I know not where. 

" From there, with toil and peril, we have slowly 
made our way to this present coast, where, not many 
days ago, I learned from the natives that your 
Excellency was not far away with but a single ship. 
It needs not to be said that I lost no time in seeking 
for your Excellency, to offer my duty and place the 
Pinta under your Excellency's orders." 

Columbus was not at all deceived by his excuses ; 
but accepted them without rebuke, thinking it policy 
just then to have no trouble with Pinzon. 

" I thank you," said he quietly, "■ for care of 
the vessel and your speed at returning at your first 
opportunity to us. Your ship, however, must be in 
need of repair. Since we have lost one of our vessels 



COLUMBUS. 135 

we cannot be too careful of the two left to us. 
Were you successful," added he, with as innocent 
a look as if he had believed every word that Pinzon 
had said to him, " in your search for gold ? " 

Pinzon colored and made but a confused answer. 
From that time on the two men understood each other 
perfectly. Neither was deceived. 

The truth of Pinzon's desertion was this : An 
Indian had told him of a rich mine, a short distance 
from where the vessels were, and he, his greediness 
aroused, conceived at once the plan of finding this mine, 
speedily filling the vessel, and returning to Spain with 
his precious freight. 

As an excuse for separating himself from his 
commander, he proposed to say that a storm had drifted 
them apart, and that being unable to find him, he had 
at once loaded his vessel and set forth for Spain alone. 

No mine, however, had been discovered, and now 
Pinzon had sailed back to Hispaniola in search of 
the other ships. 



136 COLUMBUS. 

The return voyage was one of peril. Storms 
and calm followed one after the other in swift 
succession. Black tempests, roaring billows and dense 
darkness so confused the leaders that their reckoning 
was lost. 

After one terrible night, during which the ocean 
had dashed with maddened fury against the frail 
vessel, and nothing could be seen or heard save its 
fierce, white-capped crests and their deafening roar, 
Columbus, far more concerned that the knowledge of 
his discovery should be saved than that he should 
live to bear it to the queen, wrote an account of it, 
sealed it in a strong, water-tight cask, and threw it 
overboard, hoping that in some way it might fall into 
honest hands, and be delivered up to the sovereigns 
of Spain. 

But Columbus and his crew were not to be lost. 
Morning came ; and for a time the wind died down and 
the two vessels, separated during the night, came 
together again. But later in the day, again the wind, 



COLUMBUS. . 137 

with one long warning shriek, fell upon the vessels, 
driving them staggering and helpless through the 
terrible sea. The wind changed and shifted from 
side to side, heaping the billows in great walls of 
angry water about the ships. All day and all night 
this lasted. The bravest seamen gave themselves up 
for lost, and crouched sullenly in the corners awaiting 

the end. 

The other vessel had been driven far away; but 
for many hours the answering flash from that vessel as 
Columbus signalled his own safety, told him that the 
Pinta was yet safe. But that disappeared at last and 
the Pinta was given up as lost. 

The sailors shook their heads and muttered a short 
prayer for their comrades' souls. To them it was of 
little interest; for, as they believed, it was but a 
question of an hour or two and they, too, would 
have to meet the same evil fate. 

Reverently, feehng that the end was near, 
Columbus called the crew together and prayed to 



138 COLUMBUS. 

the saints for protection. Then taking a handful 
of flat beans, he counted out as many as there were 
souls on board, and marking a single one with a cross, 
shook them thoroughly in a seaman's cap, and called 
upon the crew in the order of their rank to draw one. 
He to whom the cross fell was to vow that if the 
ship were only spared, he would make a pilgrimage to 
the famous shrine of the Virgin of Guadaloupe, bearing 
as an offering a weighty candle of pure white wax. 

His being the first turn, Columbus solemnly thrust 
his hand into the cap and drew out a bean from the 
sixty or more therein contained. 

It bore the cross. Reverently making the same 
sign, he confirmed his vow and called upon his com- 
panions to invoke each the aid of his own patron 
S£tint in this hour of desperate need. 

But these brave men were not yet to die. 

All night long the vessel tossed to and fro. Again 
the light began to dawn ; and with it came a sight of 
land. 



COLUMBUS. 139 

Land ! land ! sure enough ! there was land ahead. 
They were near the great islands of the Azores. 

Baffling winds kept the little vessel blowing hither 
and thither and it was many hours before the island 
could be approached. 

An entire circuit of the island was made before 
a landing could be secured. 

The natives were amazed indeed to learn that the 
little vessel Nina had weathered the fearful gale of the 
last few days. 

More amazed still were they to learn that the same 
little vessel was returning from a voyage across the 
great sea and that it had reached in safety and was 
now returning from the Golden Indies so far away. 

No sooner was Columbus out to sea than away the 
islanders flew to carry the news of the wonderful 
fleet and its wonderful voyage to the government 
town. 

Columbus sailed at once to the little port of 
St. LorenzO;, where he had been told he would find an 



140 COLUMBUS. 

excellent harbor. Darkness had fallen before he 
reached there, so he brought his vessel to anchor as near 
the shore as seemed safe, and there waited the morning. 

Soon three men appeared upon the shore and 
demanded of him who he was and why he came. 

A boat was sent ashore to make the report, and the 
three men on shore invited the pilot who came in the 
boat to go with them into the town and converse 
with the governor, who would, the three men said, 
be glad to talk with the voyagers. 

The governor received them with great civility, and 
was extravagant in his praises of the brave crew who 
had made this daring voyage on unknown waters. " I 
knew your brave captain Columbus," said he, " in earlier 
days, and had always great admiration for him.'' 

After offering them refreshment, the governor 
urged the pilot and two of his companions to spend the 
night with him on shore, proposing to send back his 
own messengers with the rest of the boat's crew to the 
Niiia. The invitation was promptly accepted. 



COLUMBUS. 141 

The party returning to the ship were laden with a 
generous supply of chickens, fresh bread, fruits, and 
other eatables likely to be acceptable to men who had 
been so long at sea ; and these were presented to 
Columbus by the Portuguese messengers with the 
governor's respectful compliments. 

'' His Excellency the Governor," said they, " would 
have come himself to the vessel had the hour not 
been so late. In the early morning, however, he should 
do himself the honor to pay his respects to the brave 
commander." 

The governor had only taken the liberty to 
invite these men, the messengers explained, on account 
of the passing delight he anticipated in listening to the 
recital of their astonishing adventures. 

Meantime the governor begged Columbus to accept 
these poor refreshments as his evening meal, and on 
the morrow whatever the island afforded should be 
placed at his disposition. 

Columbus expressed his appreciation of the 



142 COLUMBUS. 

governor's courtesy, and showed the Portuguese every 
attention in his power, answering freely their inquiries, 
and exhibiting to their admiring vision his Indian 
interpreters and some of the curious articles he had 
brought from the Indies. 

But in all this courtesy and appearance of 
profound interest and good Avill, there was a something 
that created in Columbus a feeling of doubt and 
insecurity. More than once he rebuked himself for 
what seemed unfounded suspicion. Still there was, — 
and Columbus could not shake off the feeling — in all 
this show of friendship a lack of genuineness. 

He had no such recollection of the Governor 
as that worthy professed to have of him, and he 
was none too well pleased with the keeping back of 
three of his crew, on never mind how reasonable an 
excuse. 

He had lived too long among the Portuguese 
not to know exactly what value to attach to their 
ceremonious pretensions of friendship. There was a 



COLUMBUS. 143 

false ring about all this which put him on his guard. 
It was not the greeting to which he had looked forward, 
when he had thought of once more landing on Christian 
shores. 

Still, he reflected, Spain and Portugal were certainly 
at peace ; and the Governor might have really fancied it 
was too late to call upon a strange ship, as he had 
alleged. 

As for the three sailors, — well, if it came to a 
trial of wits, his pilot would be able to give no 
information as to the whereabouts of the wonderful 
lands which would be of any use to the Portuguese in 
case they should want to go there. 

All that knowledge Columbus had locked up in his 
sea-chest ; and he felt confident they would gain no 
advantage should they attempt any new trick this present 
time. There was, however, nothing to be done but to 
wait ; and tired out with the week of danger and 
anxiety, Columbus retired, glad enough for the present 
fco sleep. 



144 COLUMBUS. 

In the morning, there was a great stir upon 
shore. Armed men, horsemen, glittering weapons — 
all these were visible from the ship. 

Soon a boat put off. As it drew near, Columbus 
could see that it was filled with men of authority. 

" There is some treachery somewhere," said Col- 
umbus to himself. 

As the boat came within hailing distance, one 
of the armed men rose from his seat and said : 

" Sefior Columbus, I am your most humble servant, 
Juan de Castaneda, Governor of this island." 

Columbus returned the saluation in a dignified 
manner. 

" It would be to me an honor," returned the 
governor, " if you would accept my poor hospitality, and 
return with me to my island." 

"Nay, Senor Governor," replied Columbus, "it is 
not Spanish courtesy to allow you to return without 
first tasting our wine. I pray you consider our vessel, 
and all it contains, at your Excellency's disposal." 



COLUMBUS. 145 

This was not exactly what the Portuguese had 
planned upon. There was a brief whispering among 
the officers. They evidently did not care to come in 
close contact with the Spaniards, neither did they quite 
dare refuse. 

At last, again the governor spoke. " May I ask 
Seiior Columbus, why you bring into my port an armed 
vessel, and send upon my shores without permission 
a body of soldiers and sailors." 

There was no doubt whatever, now of the 
treacherous designs of the governor. 

" I came to this port," said he, slowly and with 
force, his eyes carrying fire in their steady glance, 
" to escape the fate of my other vessel, which has been 
lost in the storm through which we have just passed. 

" Your Excellency knows well, that in Spain, a 
Portuguese is as safe, and as courteously treated, as in 
the Court at Lisbon. It would seem however, from 
our reception here, that the subjects of the Spanish 
crown have no such security in the Portuguese domains." 



146 COLUMBUS. 

Much passed between the Governor and Columbus, 
which we will not here take time to report. But, when 
the Governor came to threats and insolence, then 
Columbus burst out upon him : 

" Now may the consequences of these deeds of yours 
fall upon your own head ! 

" Because your Excellency has foully trapped the 
half of my ship's company, think not we shall all fall 
into your treacherous hands. There are stout men 
enough remaining to take this caravel to Spain ; and 
with God's blessing we shall be in Seville before many 
days are past. 'T will best behoove you, therefore, 
Senor Governor, to put your house in order ; for 
his Majesty of Portugal will not deny the demand 
of my sovereigns of Castile that he who has done 
this traitor's act in time of peace shall meet his due 
reward." 

There was more truth in this than was pleasant 
for the governor to hear. He well knew that the 
Portuguese king, if formal complaint was made, would 



COLUMBUS. 147 

readily disclaim the act of his governor; and in that 
event he, Juan de Castaneda, would have an awkward 
account to settle. 

Columbus waited for a reply. He well knew he 
had the Governor at an advantage. 

" So be it, then, Seiior Governor," said he at 
length, " I would but have your Excellency bear in 
mind that unless my men are released I pledge 
myself by my word and faith, as an Admiral of 
Castile, that I shall neither leave this ship nor set my 
foot on land until I have come back to this port 
with force to strip this island of its people and carry 
them all to Spain. I speak not hastily, Senor de 
Castaiieda ; mark well my words ! " 

And at once he gave the order to his men to 
set the ship at once towards Spain. 

Hardly were they out at sea when a wind arose 
and another storm threatened. Back into the very 
harbor of St. Lorenzo they were driven, and there 
they anchored till they might with safety set forth. 



148 COLUMBUS. 

The Governor, meantime, had been thoroughly 
frightened ; and as soon as he saw the Niiia again in 
the harbor he sent out a boat in which were priests 
and a notary to say that His Excellency the governor 
had no desire to embarrass in any way the noble 
Admiral ; he had but acted in accordance with his in- 
structions, which were to call to account any vessel 
putting into his port without the special permission of 
the Portuguese king. 

If the noble Admiral would satisfy his Excellency 
that he had come with no hostile intent, his Excel- 
lency would release the men and render the noble 
Admiral any service in his power. 

It was very difficult for Columbus to listen to this 
with patience. He saw that it was a mere pretext 
on the governor's part ; that having failed to secure 
the commander himself, he was now anxious to restore 
the men who were of no use to him ; and that he 
hoped thereby, since the game was lost, to escape any 
serious consequences from his act of treachery. 



COLUMBUS. 149 

Columbus's first impulse was to punish the cowardly 
governor, as he well knew it was in his power to do; 
but there were his men in the governor's power 
upon the island. " And what consideration/' thought 
he, " does my personal pride merit compared with the 
saving o£ my men." 

So he meekly allowed the notary and priests to 
read the papers in which was their proof of the gen- 
erous power with which he was vested by the Spanish 
king and queen. 

Profuse now were the priests and the notary in 
their apologies and in their expressions of recognition 
and respect, and were ready and anxious to return 
with their report to their mistaken governor. 

They were allowed in due time to depart, and in 
a few hours a ship containing the Spaniards came up 
to the vessel's side. 

"We may as well put out to sea at once," said 
Columbus bitterly, " before some new scheme is set on 
foot by these treacherous Portuguese." 



150 COLUMBUS. 

Again they set sail, and the vessel made its way 
in safety to Spain. 

You may be sure Columbus and his men were 
glad indeed to sail again into the harbor of Palos. 

Such an excitement as was created all throuo^h 
Europe. The glad tidings swept like a mighty wind 
over Spain. Bonfires blazed from every high place, 
church bells rang, salutes were fired. 

In the midst of all this joyous celebration 
Pinzon's vessel, which had been lost sio^ht of durins" the 
terrible gales, now came sailing up the harbor. Driven 
by wind and wave it had made its way to the Bay 
of Biscay, from whence it now came. 

Bitterly now did Pinzon regret his ignoble 
behavior. Generous as he had been with his wealth, 
valuable as he had been with his aid, it seems a pity 
that this one error of his should now steal from him 
the honor really due him, and plunge him into such 
disgrace. 

Sailing into the harbor midst all this enthusiasm 




COLUMBUS'S RECEPTION ON HIS RETDRN TO SPAIN. 



152 COLUMBUS. 

over the arrival of Columbus, and knowing how little 
of the good will would the people give to him, he 
hurried himself into a small boat, secretly landed, and 
made his way to his own home. 

Pinzon was in deep disgrace. He was forbidden 
to appear at court ; and, indeed, little courage had 
he to appear even in the streets of his own city, so 
deeply did he feel the scorn that the common people 
were so ready to pour out upon him. 

Pinzon lived only a short time. Crushed by the 
sense of his own folly, and stung by the jeers and 
laughter which everywhere greeted him, he sickened 
and died. 

Let us remember that in everything but this one 
act of desertion Pinzon had been brave and true, and 
was by no means deserving of quite so much disgrace 
as was heaped upon him. I have always been glad 
that, at a later day, in recognition of his valuable ser- 
vices, his family were highly honored by the court, 
and given the rank of nobility and a coat-of-arms. 




MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF COLUMBUS. 



154 COLUMBUS. 

THE SECOND VOYAGE. 

Columbus for the time being was indeed the hero 
of the world. The people of Genoa, that so shortly 
before had called him an ignorant wool-comber, now began 
to boast that Columbus was a Genoese. Spain puffed 
herself that she had rendered him the aid he asked for. 

England quoted loudly the fact that an ambassador 
of hers had been, at the very time Isabella had recalled 
Columbus to court, far on his journey Spain- ward to 
offer Columbus her support in his plans for sailing 
around the world. 

All the friends who had believed in him before 
he sailed, now strutted about, glorifying themselves 
in his reflected light. And even those who had scoffed 
at him and jeered at him, managed by great stretch 
of conscience and of memory, to recall some little 
word of approval or of encouragement that they had 
given him, which should now be made to redound to 
their own honor. 



156 COLUMBUS. 

" there's nothing succeeds like success," some 
one has humorously remarked. And wouldn't you 
suppose that after a time human nature would learn 
to be cautious, even if it can't be generous, when 
some one like Columbus comes forward with some 
great thought, some great plan, some great inven- 
tion, which, at the time, does seem almost 
impossible to be proved true. Let us remember 
this : — there never yet has been a great man or a 
great woman but the world has sneered at, scoffed 
at, and called either a knave or a fool. It should 
teach us to be careful lest we do the same thing ; 
and, like the scoffers at Columbus, find ourselves 
eating very " humble pie " after the opportunity to 
be generous has gone by. 

When Columbus started on his second voyage, 
there was no lack of money, or vessels, or of sailors, 
you may be sure. He had quite as much trouble now 
in this flood of encouragement as he had previously 
had in the drought. 



COLUMBUS. 1 57 

One of the men who went on this second voyage 
with Columbus was named Ojeda. He was of noble 
birth, had been brought up under the care of a 
distinguished duke, one of the richest and most influ- 
ential in all Spain. Ojeda was a most reckless cavalier ; 
one who seemed to know not the meaning of the word 
fear, but seemed rather to rejoice in the wildest, most 
dangerous adventures. 

On this voyage the fleet put in at the Antilles. 
Here they found, so some of our histories tell us, an 
island of man-eaters. These man-eaters ravaged the 
island, killing the aged, stealing the strong, young 
maidens to hold as slaves, and eating the young men. 
A small party of Spaniards went to explore this island. 
It was long past the time for them to return, still no 
sign of them. Columbus was alarmed. Trumpets were 
blown, guns were fired ; but no reply came to their 
signals. 

Then Ojeda volunteered to make an exploration 
of the island. The island was searched for days, but 



158 COLUMBUS. 

the lost ones could not be found. It was with a sad 
heart that Columbus prepared to sail away. Just then 
the men appeared. Ragged and hungry, their appear- 
ance was pitiful. They had been lost in the tangled 
thickets of the forests, and only with the greatest dif- 
ficulty had made their way out. 

On another island, when the Spaniards landed, the 
people, — Caribs — fought with desperation, men and 
women alike. The canoe from which they were hurl- 
ing their arrows was overturned ; still they fought on, 
hurling their arrows seemingly as rapidly as from 
their boat. They were captured at last. Such hid- 
eous creatures ! long, straggling hair, wild eyes, their 
faces daubed with paint. They were like wild ani- 
mals ; and though strongly bound, they behaved like 
caged tigers, clanking their chains and yelling and 
howling. 

From here Columbus sailed on to islands he had 
discovered in his first voyage. One night, as they 
" lay to " not far from the shore, a canoe came towards 



COLUMBUS. 159 

the vessel. An Indian stood in the bow. Coming up 
close to the ship he asked for Columbus ; nor would 
he come on board until Columbus himself appeared 
on deck. 

He came to tell Columbus that the island upon 
which in his first voyage he had left a little colony 
of Spaniards, had been attacked, many of the natives 
killed and the chief himself severely wounded. 

The next day Columbus went to the island, but 
found the towns in ruins. Could it be that the good 
chief had been treacherous ? Or had the Spaniards 
driven the natives to desperation by some cruel 
domineering behavior on their part ? Columbus almost 
feared it might be the latter. Clearly had he warned 
the men that both for policy's sake and because it was 
right, they should be fair in their treatment of the 
simple-hearted natives. 

It was some time before any reliable report could 
be gained. The truth came out, however, at last. And 
the trouble was, as it always was afterwards in the 



160 COLUMBUS. 

annals of Spanish doings in this country, all due to the 
perfidy o£ the Spaniards. No sooner had Columbus 
gone, than these men began a series of petty persecu- 
tions upon the natives. The natives and the neighbor- 
ing tribes endured it as long as they could. Then an 
attack was made upon the white men and everyone 
of them slain. 

So the cruising about the islands went on. Col- 
onies were founded, gold was collected, and the time 
came when Columbus thought it wise to return to 
Spain. There had been many pleasant things connected 
with this voyage, but there had been much that was 
disappointing, heart-sickening, discouraging. 

As he sailed away, he was overtaken by a canoe in 
which were an Indian and his family. 

" Good friend," said he, coming up to the side 
of the vessel, " we wish to go with you to your land. 
We wish to be under your protection, and become 
subjects to your king and queen." 

Columbus looked upon these Indians with com- 



COLUMBUS. 161 

passion ; and wheai he thought what unfair treatment, 
what slavery would be their share in his country, he 
had by far too great compassion on them to allow them, 
innocent and ignorant as they were, to be carried away 
from their native land. So loading them with presents, 
and promising that in some future time he would come 
again, he sent them back to their island. 

The voyage to Spain was as perilous as had been 
the first return. Tempests assailed them, the fleet was 
scattered, and the crew suffered bitterly from cold and 
starvation. Columbus, working side by side with the 
sailors, worn out with toil and suffering, overtaxed with 
anxiety, was stricken with illness. In a state of 
unconsciousness, he was borne from the vessel on its 
arrival at the Spanish port, into the presence of the 
sovereigns. 



v^^ 




162 COLUMBUS. 

TREACHERY OF THE SPANIARDS. 

As soon as Columbus had sufficiently recovered 
to be able to cross the ocean again, he was anxious to 
get back to his colonies. He had many bitter enemies 
— envious, jealous men — both in Spain and at the 
town of Isabella, which he had founded and had made 
a centre ; but he had equally strong friends. It was 
fast coming to be a question which party should succeed 
before the sovereig-ns. 

The lightning never strikes the grass, you know ; 
but if one puts his head above, standing out as 
Columbus did, like the grand oak, he must know that he 
makes himself a target for the arrows of hate. 

When Columbus came away from the island of 
Hayti, he had left a Spaniard there with four hundred 
soldiers to explore the island. 

Don Pedro Margarite was the Spaniard's name. 
Regardless of the instructions of Columbus, he began 
at once to take possession of anything and everything 



COLUMBUS. 163 

on the island that suited his fancy. The Indian dwell- 
ings were robbed, the maidens stolen, the children 
massacred. 

Keport of this unwarranted behavior reached the 
ears of Columbus's brother, who was in charge in 
another island. But the proud Spaniard sent back the 
reply that he did not propose to be subject to wool- 
combers. 

He paid no heed to the warning, but plunged into 
cruelty more deeply than ever. 

At last, the natives, goaded to desperation, rose in 
rebellion. A confederacy was formed. Thousands 
of warriors marched against Margarite and his band. 
A terrible insurrection was at hand. Ojeda, like a 
fanged wolf, leapt madly into the fiercest of the 
conflict. 

Margarite, angry that Columbus should be in 
control over him, hastened to the town of Isabella, 
and plotting with other nobles there, who now that the 
poor wool-comber had met the peril and borne all the 



164 COLUMBUS. 

hardship of discovery and exploration, were ready to 
destroy him, seized upon several of Columbus's vessels 
and sailed for Spain. They reached there shortly 
after Columbus had been taken into the presence of the 
sovereigns, and taking advantage of his illness, they 
raised a general clamor against him. 

Sadly did Columbus listen to stories of Spanish 
cruelty and of the Indian uprisings. His only thought 
was of how peace was to be restored. 

There was one Indian chief of influence to whom 
Columbus appealed. He sent messengers to him, and 
assured him that the cruel behavior of the Spaniards 
had been contrary to his commands, and that it was his 
desire to live in peace with the natives. 

There was one chief, Caonabo, the leader in the 
confederacy of natives, and the fiercest of warriors. 
" And I," said Ojeda, " am the fiercest of Spaniards." 
There was between these two a sort of fascination. " I 
will capture this chief," said Ojeda, '' or he shall capture 
me." 



COLUMBUS. 165 

So, selecting ten companions, all mounted on most 
powerful horses, they plunged into the forests and 
bore down upon the village in which Caonabo lived. 

Approaching him with great show of reverence, 
Ojeda said, " I come from Columbus. I bring rich 
presents and implore you to cease from quarreling, and 
to agree to terms of peace." 

Caonabo had suffered terribly from this cruel 
warfare, and was not unwilling to make terms with his 
foe. 

Ojeda quickly saw this, and so pressed his plans 
farther. 

" If you will come to Isabella," said this scheming 
young Spaniard, "you shall receive the highest of 
honors from Columbus. You shall be loaded with 
presents, and Columbus himself awaits you." 

Still the chief hesitated. And now came Ojeda's 
master-stroke. " My chief," said he, " bade me tell 
you that he had long known your liking for the bell 
that hangs in the tower of our chapel at Isabella. And 



166 COLUMBUS. 

he wished me to tell you that already workmen are 
prepared to take it down from the tower that he may be 
able to present it to you." 

This was irresistible. The chief now consented to 
go with Ojeda to the Spanish town. 

When the time came for departure, behold, 
Caonabo brought with him a great number of his 
fiercest warriors. 

" Why these warriors ? " said Ojeda, suspicious that 
Caonabo, too, might be playing a double game. 

'' It is not becoming that so great a chief as I 
should go into the presence of so great a chief as 
Columbus without attendants," replied Caonabo simply. 

As they went on their march, Ojeda produced a 
set of steel hand-cujffs. 

" What are those ? " asked Caonabo, his eye 
attracted by their glitter. 

" Ornaments," answered Ojeda carelessly. " Would 
you like to take them ? We Spaniards wear them only 
on grand occasions." 



COLUMBUS. 167 

" Let me take them," said Caonabo. 

" Mount this fine horse behind me," said Ojeda, 
" put on the ornaments on your wrists, and we will ride 
into the presence of Columbus." 

Caonabo mounted, the manacles were placed upon 
his hands — the great chief was a prisoner. 

Then with a rush, the cavaliers gathered around 
him, bayonets were pointed, and away the company 
galloped, leaving the attendants staring in open-mouthed 
wonder. 

Bitterly did Caonabo deplore his captivity. One 
of his brothers, raising an army, marched against the 
Spaniards. But Ojeda fell upon them with such fury, 
the terrible animals on which they rode snorted and 
pranced so wildly, and the fierce blood-hounds did such 
deadly havoc, the poor natives were soon put to rout. 

Meantime, Margarite and his friends had succeeded 
in stirring up suspicion against Columbus in Spain. A 
commissioner was sent over the water to see if the 
stories reported against him were true. 



168 COLUMBUS. 

Columbus listened to the story o£ the commissioner 
with dignity, and at once set out for Spain. 

Reaching there, he was received with kindness by 
the sovereigns. Another fleet was promised him, and 
all seemed at peace again. But Columbus had many 
enemies at court, and these came more and more 
to have influence with the king. He looked upon 
Columbus with suspicion. Isabella only remained firm 
in her confidence in his honorable dealings. 

Months passed, and Columbus was still waiting. 
The insolence that from time to time he received 
from his enemies drove him sometimes to distraction. 
Many a time he resolved to go not one step farther 
in his enterprise. 

After two years of waiting, he at last set forth 
for a third time. 

Again he had a perilous voyage, and at its end 
found the colonies in a far worse condition than ever. 
The Indians had grown more hostile ; sickness prevailed, 
and misery and wretchedness everywhere abounded. 



COLUMBUS. 



169 




COLUMBUS IN CHAINS. 



COLUMBUS IN HAYTI AGAIN. 

A low Spaniard, named Roldan, had formed a 
conspiracy against Columbus. With a band of fol- 
lowers in character like himself, he set forth on an 
expedition, robbing the natives, burning their homes, 
killing their children — all for the mere amusement 
of it, and for the gratification of their low, cruel 
natures. 

There was nothino^ Columbus seemed able to do 
to stop them ; and when the crew from three of the 



COLUMBUS. 171 

vessels he had brought over in this third voyage 
joined them in a body, Columbus was indeed heart- 
sick. 

And now came a man named Amerigo Vespucci. 
Ojeda was with him, and together they proceeded to 
attack the islands, capture the prisoners — all without 
reference to Columbus, who still held, or supposed he 
did, the governorship of all lands not yet discovered. 

Columbus was not a little disturbed by this, and 
sent Roldan, with whom he had made a half-satisfac- 
tory peace, to meet Ojeda. 

These two cavaliers were well-matched, both for 
daring and for lack of principle. Ojeda met Roldan 
boldly, showed papers from the king, proving that he 
had permission thus to take possession, and ordered 
Roldan to go back to Columbus with this report — 
that he was fast losing favor in Spain, and that he 
himself had been sent over for the express purpose of 
bearing intelligence from the king which might not 
be pleasant for him to hear. 



1 72 COLUMBUS. 

Columbus's command Avas really at an end. No 
one obeyed him now. A conspiracy to assassinate 
him was on foot. At last a new governor was sent 
over by the two sovereigns. He seized Columbus and 
threw him into prison. Like a criminal he was paraded 
through the streets, to be stoned and jeered at — and 
all this degradation because of the treacherous stories 
of men like Ojeda and Roldan ! 

Chained, he was sent back to Spain. The captain 
of the ship, indignant at such brutal treatment, would 
have removed his chains. But Columbus said, '' In 
the letter sent over by my successor from the king 
and queen, they bade me obey the new governor, 
Bobadilla. By their authority he claims to have put 
me in chains. Then I will Avear the chains until they 
themselves shall free me." 

You will be glad to know that when the king 
and queen heard of the action of Bobadilla, they were 
indignant, indeed. " We gave him no such authority," 
said they ; ^' and he must at once be recalled." 



COLUMBUS. 173 

When Isabella met Columbus, she burst mto 
tears. This touched the heart of the kind-hearted, 
well-meaning Columbus as no reproof could have 
done, and he fell on his knees before her, sobbing 
like a child. 

As soon as possible another governor was sent to 
supersede Bobadilla ; but it was a discouraging task 
to attempt to bring anything like harmony out of the 
condition on the islands now, so thoroughly were the 
natives aroused to vengeance. 



Courage, World finder ! Thou hast need ; 

In Fate's unfolding scroll 
Dark woes, and ingrate wrongs I read 

That rack the noble soul ; 
On ! On ! Creation's secrets probe, 

Then drink thy cup of scorn, 
And wrapped in fallen Cnesar's robe 
Sleep like that master of the globe 
All glorious, — yet forlorn. 



Lydia Sigourney. 



COLUMBUS. 175 

COLUMBUS'S LAST VOYAGE. 

Once more Columbus set forth for the land of 
his discovery. He was now an old man ; and though 
broken in health, and exhausted by anxiety and care, 
his active brain seemed tireless. 

As Columbus sailed into the harbor, he met 
Bobadilla saiHng out. His ship was loaded with gold 
which had been stolen from the unhappy natives, and 
with this Bobadilla hoped to gain the favor of the 
king. 

It was a beautiful day, but Columbus, with true 
mariner's foresight, knew that a storm was brewing. 
Kindly he warned Bobadilla, but received from him 
only insults in return. Bobadilla sailed forth. Soon 
the storm arose, and Bobadilla and all his crew were 
swallowed up in the raging billows. 

Again Columbus saw the same picture of woe 
and misery on the islands, the same scenes of brutality 
and cruelty among the Spaniards. His heart sank 



176 COLUMBUS. 

within him. Shipwreck drove him upon a hostile 
island. Sick and half starved, he called one of the 
natives to him and said, " Our God is angry with you 
that you do not bring us food. He will to-night 
hide his face from you. That will be your warning. 
Then if you do not help us, some terrible curse will 
be sent upon you.'* 

The Indians listened in amazement. Some 
laughed, others were frightened. 

But sure enough, when the moon was up high 
in the heavens, its light began to wane. Darker and 
darker it grew. The Indians fell prostrate upon the 
ground, begging Columbus to intercede for them with 
the angry God. 

Columbus pretended to hesitate, saying that he 
doubted if God would forgive such awful sins as 
these. The Indians grew more and more frightened. 
Provisions were brought from every dwelling, and laid 
at Columbus's feet. Then the moon began to come 
out again ; and the panic stricken Indians returned 



178 COLUMBUS. 

to their dwellings, promising never to hold back help 
from the " sky people " again. 

The new governor all this time would not allow 
Columbus to enter the port, and the old man found 
himself little better off, and no more held in respect 
than when under Bobadilla. 

So time passed on. The new governor governed 
all. And even when, by-and-by, Columbus was allowed 
to enter port, he was everywhere treated with insult 
and indignity. 

At last he returned to Spain. He went at once 
to Seville. Wretchedness followed him there. In 
utter poverty he appealed to Isabella. But she lay 
dying, crushed with the griefs and disappointi^pnts 
of her own sad life. Seeing her friends gathered 
about her, she said, '' Do not weep for me, nor waste 
your time in prayers for my recovery. I do not 
wish to live." 

The death of Isabella was a great blow to 
Columbus. No one now remained in whom he could 




MONUMENT TO COLUMBUS IN GENOA. 



180 COLUMBUS. 

trust. Faithfully he told to the cold-hearted Ferdi- 
nand the story of his last voyage, but not one 
word of encouragement had the king for his faithful 
servant. 

A few months longer, spent in the deepest physi- 
cal agony and the most bitter poverty, and Columbus 
died. Knowing that death was near at hand he said, 
" I welcome thee, death ! You free me from the 
wretchedness of life. And into thy hands, Lord, 
do I commend my spirit." 

His remains now rest in the cathedral at Havana ; 
a beautiful monument to his memory stands in Genoa ; 
and the world is just now beginning to appreciate 
how good a man for his times he was, and is willing 
at last to render him the homage that seems so justly 
his due. 



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BOOKBINDING 

Grantviile, Pa, 
Nov— Dec 34 



